Lake Wiped off the Map by Treasure Hunters to be Declared Natural Protected Area

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Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum has stated that Dipsiz (Fathomless) Lake, whose water has been drained to search for treasure, will be restored to its previous state.

Announcing that Dipsiz Lake and its surrounding area in Gümüşhane will be designated as a natural protected area, Minister Kurum has also shared details about how the lake will be rehabilitated.

'Erdoğan has given an instruction'

Indicating that President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has also been closely following the issue, Kurum has stated that President Erdoğan has given an instruction to take the necessary steps to restore the lake to its previous state.

"A scientific commission consisting of scientists from universities has been formed to rehabilitate the lake and its surrounding area", Kurum has said.

He has also stated that the teams of the Ministry are still working on and around the lake. First, scientific works will be undertaken in the area, then, the necessary steps will be taken to restore the lake and its vicinity to their previous natural state, the Minister has informed further.

'It will be declared a protected area'

Kurum has continued as follows:

"The lake and its surrounding area will be declared a Natural Protected Area. Moreover, the area known as Dipsiz Lake and the protected area in its eastern side will be combined and a ecological corridor will be formed there.

"Our teams keep on working in the area. The Dipsiz Lake, which we will restore to its natural form as soon as possible, will be the most important part of the ecological corridor that we will establish. Our objective is to pass it on to the next generations by restoring it to its previous form."

What happened?

Dipsiz Lake, which can be roughly translated as Fathomless Lake, is located in the province of Gümüşhane, at an altitude of 2 thousand 140 meters. Its main sources of water were, above all, snow and rain water.

A person alleged that the treasure of Legio XV Apollinaris of the Roman Empire was hidden at the bottom of the 12,000-year-old lake and applied for permission to dig up the lake. The permission was granted by the Governorship of Gümüşhane and Directorate of Culture and Tourism.

The ensuing excavation works were accompanied by Gümüşhane Museum Director Elif Ökten and gendarmerie officers. The water of the lake was drained and the area was dug up with excavators. Five-day excavation works were ended as no treasures could be found.

The water filling the lake was totally drained as a result of the treasure hunt. When the lake and its surrounding area were examined afterwards, it was understood that the soil structure of the lake bed and bank was damaged.

Speaking to different news agencies and media outlets in the meanwhile, academics underlined that Dipsiz Göl was a glacial lake, its 12,000-year-old ecosystem has been destroyed and the lake cannot be restored to its previous natural form by filling it again with water. (EKN/SD)