Abstract
The carbonate rocks of Turkey, which underlie about one third of the country, possess major water resources with great potential for electricity generation and water supplies. The ongoing development of karst features, especially in the southern part of Turkey, demonstrates specific environmental problems that occur in many karst water supply projects. Karst aquifers, springs, sinkholes, dolines, poljes and other karst features are of great importance from the standpoint of karst water resources and environmental research studies. In karst regions, conservation and protection of groundwater resources for both qualitative and quantitative evaluations is possible only when the catchment area is determined accurately. Since the catchment area in karst terrains is not limited by the surface drainage boundaries and the groundwater flows through well-developed coduits or fissures, the equations used in non-karstic areas cannot be applied to such karstic regions. Studies on the development of karst features and its environmental impacts in Turkey are of recent origin. Therefore, many unreliable methods are being applied in karstic areas. For example, the use of "shallow holes or sinkholes and fault zones" for septic water waste disposal or as sewage by those who are not familiar with karst, sometimes causes very serious problems of extensive groundwater pollution. This paper discusses the development of different karstic features in Turkey and case studies on its environmental impacts.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 27 December 1995 · Accepted: 10 July 1996
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Elhatip, H. The influence of karst features on environmental studies in Turkey. Environmental Geology 31, 27–33 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002540050160
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002540050160