Drought in Turkey has revealed ancient underwater fairy chimneys as lake waters recede.
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, a saline soda example, fed water from streams descending from surrounding mountains. It is one of the world's only endorheic lakes, meaning that it does not flow outside to an external body of water.
A stock photo shows fairy chimneys against a landscape with stars. Lake Van's waters are drying up so much that these geological formations are now visible at the surface. A stock photo shows fairy chimneys against a landscape with stars. Lake Van's waters are drying up so much that these geological formations are now visible at the surface. Attraction Art/GettyDroughts in Turkey are common, and in recent years, they have become more severe due to climate change. Lake Van is particularly affected by this. In September, its water levels were 13 feet lower than they were 30 years ago, the Daily Sabah reported. The region has experienced its driest-ever period in the last two years.
As the lake continues to dry up, it is revealing ancient "fairy chimneys," or microbialites, that usually lie underneath its surface, but which can now be seen above the water. They are particularly easy to spot on the banks in Incekaya, a nearby village in northern Turkey. The lake is well known for these formations. Many more lie at its bottom, with examples reaching 104 feet in height.
Some of the geological formations—which resemble vertical rocks—may be as old as 800,000 years after ancient volcanic eruptions led to lava flowing into the rock.
The fairy chimneys at the surface resemble vast coral reefs. Although they are intriguing to look at, their appearance points to a growing threat for the region.
A citizen who lives nearby to the lake told the Hürriyet Daily News newspaper in Turkey: "Unfortunately, Lake Van also received its share from the drought in our country. The microbialites were previously at the bottom of the water.
"Unfortunately, they came to light due to drought. We are very sorry about this. Indeed, Lake Van is a valuable heritage for us."
If more fairy chimneys are revealed amid the ongoing drought, they could start to disappear, since a lack of water can cause the formations to crumble.
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As dry conditions continue, weather patterns including rainfall are becoming less predictable, meaning the streams from surrounding mountains will not be carrying as much water to feed into Lake Van.
In September, Professor Necmettin Elmastaş from Bitlis Eren University in Turkey told the Daily Sabah: "Rise and fall in water levels used to happen from time to time, but in the past couple of years, we have seen a significant drop.
"Less precipitation and more vaporization contribute to the decline, but our research also found excessive use of underground water, with thousands of wells drilled to drain them in the region. Some water resources feeding the lake almost dried up."
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