Lake Karla, Greece

Reconstructed ex-dried lake facing economic, ecological and sociological challenges to be addressed through eco-friendly integrated practices.

Site description 

Managed at a national level from the Environment agency, located in a catchment with about 20.000 residents, with relatively high GDP mostly originating b agricultural practices. The lake faces various problems as eutrophication, water scarcity, hydromorphological alteration, floods and invasive alien species. FutureLakes will aim at the wetland recreation addressing the above by engaging and providing knowledge transfer to stakeholders, reshaping their long-established perception for the utility of grey infrastructures and large hydraulic works, towards NBS application and wetland functioning supported by public engagement.

Restoration measures applied 

Buffer strips and collector channels, Artificial wetland, irrigation network, ecotourism boost as birdwatching hot-spot, so far applied but failed to control nutrient excess and optimise water balance

Current goals of restoration at the site 

Biodiversity protection of the Natura 2000 site, achieve the WFD target of Good Ecological potential, and promotion of the area as eco0touristic area for social and economic benefits.

Sectors involved in lake basin management 

Management takes place at central level with ministries having key roles, as the M. of Environment, the M. of Rural Development along with the Region of Thessaly. Main Stakeholders group affected are related to agriculture, fisheries, water supply, biodiversity, Civil protection and tourism.

Further reading 

Spiliotis, M., Latinopoulos, D., Vasiliades L., Rafailidis, K., Koutsokera, E., Kagalou I. (2022): Flexible Goal Programming for Supporting Lake Karla’s (Greece) Sustainable Operation. Sustainability, 14,4311 (doi: 10.3390/su14074311) Special Issue "Sustainable Water Resource Management"

Bobori D., Ntislidou Ch.,Petriki O., Chronis I., Kagalou I., Lazaridou M.(2018). Macroinvertebrate and fish communities in the watershed in a re-constructed Mediterranean water body: link to ecological potential. Environ Monit Assess.190:106. doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6484-y

Sidiropoulos P., Chamoglou M., Kagalou I. (2017). Combining conflicting, economic, and environmental pressures: Evaluation of the restored Lake Karla (Thessaly-Greece)  Ecohydrology and Hydrobiology 17(3):177-189