The Lost Streams of Ankara: A Case Study of Bentderesi

• Published in: IOP conference series. Materials Science and Engineering Vol. 603; no. 5; pp. 52040 - 52046
• Main Author: Kaymaz, Isıl
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.09.2019
• Subjects: Casualties; Climate change; Creeks & streams; Damage; Floods; Historic sites; Landscape; Streams; Urban environments; Urbanization; Water conservation; Water supply; Ankara Turkey; Turkey
• ISSN: 1757-8981; 1757-899X
• DOI: 10.1088/1757-899X/603/5/052040

This paper aims to provide a critical overview of the management of Ankara's streams in the historical context of the city's urbanization process and focuses on one particular example Bentderesi (Bent stream). Prior to Ankara's declaration as a capital city and during the early periods of the young Republic of Turkey, the streams and creeks of the city were the significant destinations for public recreation and they were also used for freshwater supply and fishing. However, ironically, these streams had caused the most damage to their surroundings due to floods several times. For instance, in 1957, the flood along the Hatip Stream affected many areas along its bed, including Mamak, Saimekadın, Gülveren, Bentderesi, Dışkapı, Kazıkiçi vegetable gardens and Akköprü which led to many casualties and serious physical damage. At the same time, some of these streams had been highly polluted and literally had become open sewers. These all led to a drastic change in the urban landscape of Ankara; many streams and creeks were channelized and paved over. Bentderesi was one of them. Actually, Bentderesi (meaning barraged creek) is part of the Hatip Stream. It takes this name near the old settlement area, the Ankara Citadel. According to the literature, Bentderesi name comes from the dam structures on the creek built in Roman times. Unfortunately, the ruins had not been protected or conserved and are invisible today. Currently, vehicle traffic flows along "Bentderesi Street" which was built overtop the channelized river. Although the first plans for the newly established capital made use of Bentderesi and its surroundings as green spaces for leisure and ecological benefits, it became a slum area after it had been channelized. Today, Ankara is facing with water supply problems and the global climate change scenarios do not seem promising as well. Furthermore, there has been a rise in floods occurring in the urban fabric due to the increased impermeable paved surfaces overtop the creek and streams and their beds. Restoring and re-discovering the lost stream landscapes of the city would be a major, but at the same time an incredibly exciting challenge for Ankara and its urban landscape in terms of both ecological and social sustainability. In this regard, this paper will address to the conflicts between policies and the need for conservation of water surfaces of Ankara within the specific example of Bentderesi.