Mogan lake (753)
Turkey, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2004
National site name: Mogan Gölü
Central coordinates: Latitude: 39.7167, Longitude: 32.7667
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 973 to 973
Area of KBA (km2): 150.6593
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A nutrient-rich, stream-fed freshwater lake (max. 759 ha, max. depth 2.5 m) 20 km south of Ankara. Reedbeds (Phragmites) fringe much of the lake shore, with marshland and wet meadows to the south. The town of Gölbaþý is situated on the north-east shore. Numerous holiday homes have been constructed overlooking the lake, which is also popular for rowing, sailing and angling.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: Important site for breeding waterbirds, with large numbers of wildfowl occurring in late autumn and early spring (the lake freezes in winter).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (5%) | not utilised (45%) | tourism/recreation (30%) | urban/industrial/transport (20%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 90 | |
| Grassland | 10 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Formerly the lake size varied between 500 and 1,020 ha˜as part of the Ankara flood-protection scheme a regulator was built, allowing a constant water-level to be maintained. The growth of Gölbaþý has resulted in increased disturbance and the release of industrial and untreated urban waste to the lake. Sewage-treatment plants and interceptors are now under construction.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Dams & water management/use | Abstraction of ground water (agricultural use) | Only in the past and unlikely to return |
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Ongoing |