Lake Tuz

Lake Tuz (Türkçe. 'Tuz Gölü' meaning Salt Lake) is the second biggest lake in Turkey, located in the Central Anatolia Region, Шаблон:Convert northeast of Konya and Шаблон:Convert south-southeast of Ankara.

For most of the year, this very shallow (1-2 m, 3-7 ft) and saline lake has an area of Шаблон:Convert. It is normally Шаблон:Convert long and Шаблон:Convert wide at an elevation of Шаблон:Convert above sea level. Its area is shared by the provinces of Ankara, Konya and Aksaray, and holds a population of over 3 million people.

The lake, occupying a tectonic depression in the central plateau of Turkey, is fed by two major streams, groundwater, and surface water, but has no outlet. Brackish marshes have formed where channels and streams enter the lake. It is extremely saline and during the summer, most of the water in the lake dries up and exposes an average of 30 cm thick salt layer. During winter part of the salt is re-dissolved in the fresh water that is introduced to the lake by precipitation and surface runoff. This mechanism is used as a basis for the process of the salt mines in the lake. The three mines operating in the lake produce of the order of 70% of the salt consumed in Turkey. The salt mining generates industrial activity in the region, mainly related to salt processing and refining. Arable fields surround the lake, except in the south and southwest where extensive seasonally flooded salt-steppe occurs.

In 2001, Lake Tuz was declared a specially protected area, including all of the lake surface and surrounding waterbeds and some of the important neighboring steppe areas. The main Turkish breeding colony of Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is present on a group of islands in the southern part of the lake. Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) is the second largest breeder here. Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) is a common breeder in surrounding villages.

See also

  • List of lakes in Turkey
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Burak Sansal
28 July 2014
Salt Lake, the 2nd largest lake in Turkey and the biggest salt source of the country. You can see lots of salt in July-August and walk on it, but during other months there is very few salt visible.
Burak Sansal
25 June 2014
if you visit it in July/August you can see lots of salt, otherwise it's more water during other months so it doesn't make that great effect.
Elle
12 December 2014
According to our guide: Salinity apparently is about 40% here, compared to 3-4% for the Black Sea.
Merve Ozmen T.
25 December 2016
Heaven was here ❄️
Noha Koç
19 February 2015
The endless White!!!, very beautiful and can be great for modelling photography
????
8 May 2016
Tuz????tabikide
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