Seasonal Temperature Dynamics of Lake Ercek Water Column, Eastern Anatolia/Turkey

Abstract

Lake Ercek is located in eastern Turkey which has a key point where different climatic systems intersect and after Lake Van it is the second largest closed basin lake in the basin. Previous studies in the water column are not sufficient to explain changes in the water column's temperature throughout the year. With this study's scope, temperature measurements were carried out in the water coloumn vertically from the lakes deepest point for 12 months between 2016-2017 with CTD device. In this study, the lake water temperature change was investigated and it was revealed that the lake water column showed thermal stratification between May and November, and the water body mixed in winter. All data showed that Lake Ercek is included in the "Holomictic Lake" class.