Evaluation of eutrophication process in Lake Sapanca (Sakarya, Turkey)

Lakes are generally subjected to wastewater discharges from various sources. Certain chemicals, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon, in the right concentrations can distort and disrupt aquatic ecosystems by overfeeding. Eutrophication of inland bodies of water has become synonymous with the deterioration of water quality, which interferes with most of the beneficial uses of waters. Eutrophication is the consequence of a lake.s nutrient enrichment. In recent years, this problem has been increasingly acute due to the discharge of nutrients. The principal sources of nutrient inputs are municipal wastes, industrial wastes, agricultural runoff and atmospheric fallout. Lake Sapanca, which is located in the northern part of Marmara region of Turkey, is the subject of this paper. In this study, the eutrophication of the lake was evaluated.