Page 265 - 7. State Of Environment Report Of Türkiye

basins, including 25 river basins, and groundwater is estimated at 94 billion km . The average
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annual precipitation level is about 640 mm and about one third of this amount reaches water
reserves and contributes to the survival of wetlands. However, according to the annual amount
of water per capita, Türkiye is a water scarce country. The annual amount of usable water per
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capita is around 1.500 m .
Türkiye’s inland water potential consists of 33 rivers (177,714 km), 200 natural lakes (906,118 ha),
159 reservoirs (342,377 ha) and 750 ponds (15,500 ha). There are nine rivers in Türkiye with a
length of more than 500 km: Kızılırmak, Fırat, Sakarya, Murat, Aras, Seyhan, Dicle, Yeşilırmak and
Ceyhan.

Especially lakes have a special importance in inland water ecosystems. Because many of our
lakes are surrounded by mountains and under the influence of their environment, their waters
show more or less different characteristics from each other. The waters of closed basin lakes are
fresh, salty or sodal. The aquatic fauna elements of these lakes, most of which are isolated from
each other, have also differentiated as a result of the prevention of gene flow. Many lakes are
inhabited by unique and rare fish species. The largest of the natural lakes is Lake Van in Eastern
Anatolia, with an area of 374,000 hectares and high salinity. On the Central Anatolian Plateau
there are some saline shallow lakes, the largest of which is Salt Lake (128,000 hectares). Salt
Lake dries up almost completely in summer and is covered with a 30 cm thick layer of salt. Only
salt-resistant vegetation grows around the lake.

Streams are also sensitive ecosystems that separate natural habitats. The valleys, caves, islets
and flood plains formed by rivers are often a way for aquatic organisms to spread and someti-
mes a means of refuge. Some rivers in Anatolia have enriched the aquatic fauna with the effect
of physical isolation.

Lakes, marshes, deltas, reeds and mud flats are very important for wildlife, especially birds. More
than half of the bird species in Türkiye are migratory. Wetlands are important resting and winte-
ring habitats for water birds. Meriç, Gediz, Büyük Menderes and Küçük Menderes Deltas formed
by the rivers flowing into the Aegean Sea and Göksu, Seyhan and Ceyhan Deltas formed by the
rivers flowing into the Mediterranean Sea form habitats suitable for a large number and species
of waterfowl, especially as a result of the freezing of lakes in Anatolia in winter. The delta formed
by the Kızılırmak River, which flows into the Black Sea, is of great importance especially for mig-
ratory birds crossing the Black Sea directly.

F.1.8. Marine Biodiversity of Türkiye

Türkiye consists of two peninsulas (Anatolia and Thrace) and its coastline, including the Turkish
Straits System (Bosphorus and Dardanelles, Marmara Sea), is approximately 8,592 km excluding
islands. 2,083 km of coastline is protected (24%). The different characteristics of the seas sur-
rounding Türkiye have led to the differentiation of the biodiversity it contains. Approximately 3
thousand plant and animal species live along the coastline. A total of 472 species of fish live in
the seas of Türkiye. This number may vary every year with lessepsian species. Our total marine
protected areas are 1,495,513 ha.

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