# Sapanca Lake protection plan and Turkish water stress

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sapanca-lake-water-levels-and-turkish-water-stress
> Updated: 2026-10-31T13:59:58.000Z. Sources: 15. Developments: 2.

Sapanca Lake, a critical drinking water source for Turkey’s Marmara Region, experienced a temporary recovery in water levels following heavy rainfall in Sakarya. After a severe drought period that caused soil cracks and dry piers, the lake level rose to approximately 30.54 to 30.56 meters. Seyit Sakallıoğlu, General Manager of the Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality Water and Sewerage Administration, noted that the rainfall added an estimated 32 million cubic meters to the lake, providing enough water to meet city needs for about four months.

Despite this recent increase, Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı announced that the country has officially entered a period of water stress. He reported that usable water per capita in Turkey has fallen to 1,297 cubic meters, which is below the critical 1,300 cubic meter threshold. Yumaklı warned that continued deterioration of Sapanca Lake could lead to acute water shortages in the provinces of Kocaeli and Sakarya, citing climate change and irregular precipitation as primary drivers.

To address these risks, Minister Yumaklı announced a 25.5 billion lira action plan to protect the lake basin over the next five years. The initiative aims to add approximately 114 million cubic meters of water to the basin annually. This follows climate projections suggesting a 4-degree Celsius temperature increase and a 5 percent decrease in annual precipitation. By 2025, a water reduction of approximately 72 million cubic meters is anticipated, with 22 percent of that loss attributed to evaporation. Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tahir Büyükakın stated that the municipality is implementing zoning restrictions and wastewater management systems to mitigate pressure on the lake.

## Claims

- Turkey has officially entered a state of water stress as usable water per capita dropped to 1,297 cubic meters. (reported by 5 sources)
- A 25.5 billion lira investment plan has been announced for the Sapanca Lake basin over the next five years. (reported by 4 sources)
- Climate projections for the basin predict a 4-degree Celsius temperature increase and a 5 percent decrease in annual rainfall. (reported by 3 sources)
- The action plan aims to add approximately 114 million cubic meters of water to the basin annually. (reported by 2 sources)
- Sapanca Lake faces a projected water reduction of 72 million cubic meters by 2025. (reported by 2 sources)
- Approximately 22 percent of the projected water loss in Sapanca Lake is due to evaporation. (reported by 2 sources)
- Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality has implemented zoning restrictions to manage the load on the lake. (reported by 2 sources)
- Kocaeli has established a system to ensure no untreated wastewater is discharged into Sapanca Lake. (reported by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-31: Sapanca Lake faces 25.5 billion lira investment to combat water stress

Turkey has entered water stress as per capita water drops to 1,297 cubic meters. A 25.5 billion lira plan aims to protect Sapanca Lake and secure water for Kocaeli and Sakarya.

15 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkey-enters-water-stress-period-as-sapanca-lake-faces-depletion-risks

### 2026-10-22: Sapanca Lake reaches highest water level in two years

Sapanca Lake's water level has risen to its highest point in two years following heavy rains, replenishing critical drinking water supplies for the Marmara Region.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sapanca-lake-reaches-highest-water-level-in-two-years

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Cite as: Sapanca Lake protection plan and Turkish water stress. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sapanca-lake-water-levels-and-turkish-water-stress