merlin

Just found this and doesnt look encouraging....



Bafa Lake can be located 25 km from Soke and is surrounded lucious green mountains.

In early times there was a deep bay here called Latmos Bay but alluvial deposits from the River Menderes sealed it off and thus Bafa Lake was created.

With the morning sunrise the various islands on the lake become visible, the largest of which are Ikiz Island, Menet Island and Kahve Asar Island.

Bafa Lake was known as a shelter for monks and birds. Crested pelicans and flamingoes could be seen on the islands and monks from Sinai sought their refuge here in the early times.

The lake used to be important for its marina life but this has now been lost.

In 1987, 328 tonnes of fish were caught, yet just 4 years later this figure had dropped to 14 tonnes. Now the local fisherman are delighted to find even a couple of grey mullet in their fishing nets.

In 1985 the government built a flood barrier but since there has been very little rainfall, the level of the lake has dropped 2m.

Local farmers were irrigating their land with the water but as the level has dropped the salt content increased and therefore can no longer be used.

The Lake is still listed as a bird sanctuary however and in the winter season there can be found 208 different species of birds, 68 of which also breed here.

The most important of the birds that breed here is the Crested Pelican as they are nearing extinction with only 2,000 left in the world today. Bafa Lake contains their largest protected colony.


Merv!