Çavuşçu Lake
Çavuşçu Lake (or Ilgın Lake) is a freshwater, tectonic lake located within the borders of Ilgın district of Konya province. It is fed by Doğanhisar Stream, Çiğil Stream and Bulcuk Stream. Çavuşçu Lake has an area of 27 km² and is surrounded by reeds and swamps. Its height above sea level is 1026 m and its depth is 2–10 m. There is a hot water spring called Açık Ilıca in the west. The Yorazlar fountain to the east is known as healing water by the public. The lake area, which is filled with snow and rain water in winter, recedes in summer as it irrigates the Atlanti and Ilgın plains. The land where the lake waters drain is cultivated by citizens. Şarampol Hill in the south of the lake is 25 m above the lake level. Although it was partially afforested in 1960 and 1977, afforestation efforts were taken seriously in 2001. Şarampol hill is a candidate to become a beautiful picnic area in the future. Dams were built on the south and north of the lake, turning it into a dam lake and its waters were taken under control. Its waters are used for irrigation, and it sends its excess water out through its southern outlet. Before it turned into a dam lake, its excess water reached the Sakarya River. After the construction of the embankments, the lake area shrank, and the wetlands in the north and the area called Kurugöl turned into agricultural land. As the water rose between the levees, meadows and reeds disappeared. The natural lake has disappeared and turned into a dam lake.
