Karagöl

Karagöl is a landslide dam lake located 25-27 kilometers from the district of Borçka in Artvin. The lake area lies within the boundaries of Borçka Lake Nature Park, which was established on 14 August 2002. About 10,000 people visit the lake annually.

History

Karagöl, a landslide lake fed by the Heba Stream, which forms the source of the Klaskuri River, and the Savgule Stream, is situated in a hilly area where the peaks of Karaşalvar Hill (2,333 m) to the south and Verketil Hill (2,429 m) are close to each other. A lake formed when landslide material that broke off the slope cut off the front of the Savgule Valley. On the side of the landslide dam facing the Savgule Stream, water accumulated and created two lakes, one large and one small. The small lake has an area of about 7 dönüm and a circular shape. The large lake covers 50 dönüm and resembles a triangle. Both lakes are connected by a channel. The level of the large lake is 1–1.5 meters higher than that of the small lake. Although it is claimed that the lake formed in the 1800s, this information is not certain. Over time, the lake’s depth, filled with alluvium carried by the same stream, decreased from 30 meters to 8 meters, and its area of 56 dönüm reduced to 50 dönüm. In a joint study conducted by the Rize 12th Regional Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks and the State Hydraulic Works, the alluvium that had filled the lake was removed, and the lake’s surroundings were equipped with walking paths supported by wood.

Karagöl, which consists of two sections, is a landslide lake but not a landslide dam lake. It has been understood that the majority of the lake's water is collected on the landslide debris. It has been noted that it is unlikely for a small lake such as Karagöl to have formed behind a dam created by such a large landslide. It is also stated that the lake was formed by water accumulating in the two-section area between the irregularities of the sliding material. The part between the two lakes also consists of landslide mass. The lake's shallowness and the steepness of the slope in front of the dam also strengthen the possibility that Karagöl is situated on the debris.

Fauna

The lake, where hunting is prohibited, is rich in a population of red‑spotted trout.