The amount of water flowing from the hot springs that feed the travertine terraces of Pamukkale, one of Turkey’s main tourist destinations, has fallen by almost 70 per cent in the last 30 years, according to experts, who attribute the problem to the increase in demand for water in recent decades – especially for agricultural use – and the overexploitation of underground aquifers: something that is also causing phenomena elsewhere in Turkey such as the proliferation of giant holes in Konya, in the centre of the country.
According to data from the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) cited by Turkish media, the volume of water flowing out of the hot springs that feed Pamukkale has fallen from 450 litres per second in 1993 to only 150 litres per second today, which represents a worrying drop in water flow.
The situation has reached a point where the Denizli Hotel and Tour Operators’ Association (DENTUROD) has warned in a statement that Pamukkale, declared together with the adjacent ruins of Hierapolis a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, could see its long-term existence compromised: ’The famous travertine terraces of Pamukkale were created by mineral-rich thermal waters that rise to the surface and leave behind calcium carbonates over thousands of years. However, with the decline in water flow in recent years, the sustainability of this natural wonder is seriously endangered.’
DENTUROD chairman Gazi Murat Şen listed the main causes of the declining water volume in Pamukkale: ‘Water resources are being depleted as a result of excessive and unrestricted use of aquifers, the increasing demand of water consumption for residential and agricultural areas, and the increase in geothermal energy production facilities’. Şen called on the authorities to investigate changes in the pressure and flow of water reaching Pamukkale, and demanded urgent measures to save the Pamukkale thermal system.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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