Sustainable management of Mogan and Eymir Lakes in Central Turkey

Mogan and Eymir Lakes, located 20 km south of Ankara in Central Turkey, are important aesthetic, recreational, and ecological resources. Dikilitas and Ikizce reservoirs, constructed on upstream surface waters, are two man-made structures in the basin encompassing an area of 985 km². The purpose of this study is to quantify groundwater components in lakes’ budgets and to assess the potential impacts of upstream reservoirs on lake levels for sustainable management of the system. Available data have been used to develop a conceptual model of the system. A three-dimensional groundwater model, incorporating a lake component, has been developed for the system. The model has been calibrated successfully under transient conditions over a period of 6 years using monthly periods. The results show that groundwater inflows and outflows have the lowest contribution to the overall lakes’ budget. The model has been subsequently used to evaluate the impacts of upstream reservoirs. The results show that these reservoirs have a significant effect on lake stages but not on groundwater levels. A trade-off curve between the quantum of water released and the average stage in Lake Mogan has been developed to enhance decision makers’ ability for sustainable management of the system in the long term.