Brief
Lake Koroneia in northern Greece shrinks to under a tenth of its size
Satellite data reveal the lake has lost more than 90% of its surface area since 2016, highlighting severe water stress in northern Greece.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Satellite images released by the National Observatory of Athens indicate that Lake Koroneia, once the fifth‑largest lake in Greece, has contracted to about 2.7 square kilometres – less than a tenth of its 34.4 square kilometres in 2016.
The shrinkage follows a decade of low rainfall, higher temperatures and intensive irrigation. The National Wetland Centre’s Dimitris Papadimos said the catchment’s average annual rainfall has fallen to roughly 400 mm, about 150 mm less than in previous decades, while evaporation has risen by 100‑150 mm per year.
Local residents recall the lake’s former vitality. Costas Hatzivoulgaridis, head of the Agios Vassilios lakeside community, told Independent that the lake used to support fishermen, tourists and migratory birds, including flamingos, but now only murky ponds remain.
Farmers have increasingly drawn water directly from the remaining lake, using large pumps to irrigate fields, a practice officials say contributed to the decline. After a 2013 European Union court ruling that found Greece had failed to protect the lake, the Greek Environment Ministry’s water resources secretary, Petros Varelidis, said monitoring has been tightened to curb illegal drilling and over‑irrigation.
Key facts
- Lake Koroneia’s surface area fell from 34.4 km² in 2016 to 2.7 km² in 2026. (independent.co.uk)
- Average annual rainfall in the lake’s catchment has dropped to about 400 mm, roughly 150 mm less than previous decades. (independent.co.uk)
- Evaporation has increased by 100‑150 mm per year due to higher local temperatures. (independent.co.uk)
- Farmers are using large pumps to extract water from the remaining lake for irrigation. (independent.co.uk)
- Greek authorities have increased monitoring after a 2013 EU court ruling on over‑irrigation and pollution. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “One of Greece’s largest lakes shrinks to a tenth of its original size”
