Gaga Lake

Gaga Lake is a small freshwater lake located within the boundaries of the Fatsa district of Ordu province in Türkiye’s Black Sea Region. It lies approximately 10 km southeast of Fatsa, at the 7th kilometer of the Fatsa-Aybasti road, within the boundaries of the village of Örencik (known as Sefaköy in other sources). The lake is situated at an elevation of approximately 65 meters above sea level. Locally, the lake is also known as "Kiliseli Göl". Various legends are told by local residents about the small island in the center of the lake and the lake itself.

^{Gaga Lake} (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye)

Gaga Lake was formed by a landslide. The area where the lake is located is characterized by a volcanic interbedded flysch facies composed of limestone, sandstone, marl, clay, agglomerate, and tuff from the Upper Cretaceous period. This landslide affected an area of approximately 6 km² between the Bolaman Creek and the Yassıtaş locality, with landslide material sliding northeastward and creating a rugged topography. Some of the depressions in this area gradually dried up, while others were drained for agricultural use. Today, only Gaga Lake and İmzo Lake, located approximately 800 meters southwest of it, remain as permanent water bodies.

The lake is not a typical landslide-dammed lake; rather, it formed when water filled a depression between the toe of the landslide mass and a structural uplift on the opposite side. The lakebed is likely the former valley of a side stream from before the landslide event. The lake is not directly fed by any river. Its water sources are surface runoff, groundwater springs, and precipitation. Additionally, subsurface seepage into the lakebed has been observed. The presence of springs beneath the landslide mass is clearly discernible on the ground.

A portion of the lake’s water drains outward through two natural springs exposed on the slopes facing the Bolaman Creek. Evaporation and an artificial outlet channel also contribute to the lake’s outflow pathways.

^{Gaga Lake} Fatsa District Governorship⁾

Gaga Lake has a surface area of approximately 60 decares (about 80,000 m²). Its depth ranges between 10 and 15 meters. The lake consists of two basins: the main basin measures approximately 200 x 250 meters and is up to 15 meters deep. The second basin, located in the western part, has a diameter of about 100 meters and a depth of 1 to 2 meters. A small islet is situated in the center of the lake.

Over time, the western part of the lake became marshy due to the effects of surrounding landslides, leading to a decline in water quality. To restore connectivity between the two basins, the local population excavated a threshold between them. During dry periods, the lake may temporarily split into two separate bodies of water.

Gaga Lake and its surroundings are rich in biological diversity. The lake’s perimeter is densely covered with reed beds and aquatic vegetation. Along the shoreline, plant species are observed that float on the water surface, grow partially submerged and partially emergent, and are entirely submerged. This vegetation plays a key role in the aquatic ecosystem’s oxygen cycle and biological purification processes.

The lake also provides breeding, shelter, and feeding grounds for numerous waterbird species and holds significance for birdwatching due to its location along migratory bird routes. Observations have confirmed that certain migratory bird species, including swans, winter at the lake. Among the fish species in the lake, the carp is particularly prominent. Four distinct fish species are reported to inhabit the lake. It has also been observed that fish use the adjacent marshland as a wintering habitat.

Gaga Lake and its surroundings have been officially designated as a Class 1 and Class 3 Natural Site and are legally protected. The lake has also been developed by the Ordu Metropolitan Municipality as a nature park and opened to the public as a recreational area. The park provides facilities such as walking paths, a snack bar, restrooms, a mosque, a fountain, an observation deck, a parking lot, swings, and photography zones. Additionally, canoeing is permitted.

^{Gaga Lake} (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye)

Access to Gaga Lake is via an asphalt road. It lies along the Fatsa-Aybasti highway, approximately 10 km from the district center. The distance from the city of Ordu is approximately 33 km. In the past, during periods when the lake posed a flood risk, the Fatsa-Aybasti road was raised by 1.5 to 2 meters.