American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering 2021; 5(1): 1-5 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ajese doi: 10.11648/j.ajese.20210501.11 ISSN: 2578-7985 (Print); ISSN: 2578-7993 (Online) İzmit Channel and Its History in the Light of Paleontological Findings Engin Meric AMBRD Laboratories, Istanbul, Turkey Email address: To cite this article: Engin Meric. İzmit Channel and Its History in the Light of Paleontological Findings. American Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering. Vol. 5, No. 1, 2021, pp. 1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.ajese.20210501.11 Received : March 1, 2019; Accepted : April 11, 2019; Published : January 4, 2021 Abstract: During the Ottoman Empire, a waterway without a Black Sea connection has been suggested through Sakarya River, Sapanca Lake and Gulf of İzmit and has been attempted six times. A natural connection between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara through that route has been proven according to findings of the drills taken for “the Osman Gazi Bridge” in 1990. Samples belonging to nine deep drills made for the bridge have been investigated in the four years and the results were compiled in the book “Quaternary sequence in the Gulf of İzmit. New data obtained from the recent drills made in the frame work of the bridge Project have strongly supported the previous results. In 1997, considering the paleontological findings of the Gulf of İzmit drills, which were completed in 1995, it has been indicated that İzmit Channel naturally opened and closed five times during Quaternary, between 800.000 and 80.000 years bp. 1-Regarding this information, the subject has been presented for the first time with the abstract titled “Back to the past for the future” (in Turkish), In Sea of Marmara Researchers Workshop-III, which was held in Ankara 1997. 2-It was presented to the International scientific community during The Geological Society of America, Annual Meeting, which was held in Salt Lake City, Utah (USA) in 20-23 October 1997, with the abstract titled “Back to the past for the future”. 3-In February 1998, it was proposed as KAP (Kuzeybatı Anadolu Projesi, Northwestern Anatolia Project) to the 9th President of the Republic Mr. Süleyman Demirel. 4-The subject was also proposed to Undersecretariat of Maritime Affairs, Undersecretariat of DPT (State Planning Organization), Undersecretariat of Ministry of Transportation İzmit Metropolitan Municipality and Sakarya Municipality. 5-More than 10 articles were published in various journals. 6-Before the general elections in 2002, “New İzmit Channel Project” was taken to the “Government Program” prepared by the Doğru Yol Party. 7-It was accepted by DPT and in 22.01.2005 it was proposed as one of the “10 projects for Turkey’s future” in “5. Solutions of Turkey’s Problems Conference”. 8-Besides, a “Registration Certificate” related to “New İzmit Channel Project” was acquired from TR Ministry of Culture and Tourism, General Directorate of Copyrights and Cinema (date: 17 June 2009, article no: B. 16.0. THS. 10.03.00/15995). 9-Detailed information given by Ord. Prof. İsmail Hakkı Uzunçarşılı, were quoted from his work published in “Belleten Dergisi” Volume 4, issue 14-15, April-July 1940. Keywords: Sakarya River, Sapanca Lake, Gulf of İzmit, İzmit Channel obtained from the Gulf of İzmit drillings completed in 1995, 1. Introduction Sakarya Valley, Sapanca Lake and Gulf of İzmit the According to the paleontological data obtained from the connection naturally opened 3 times between 800,000 to investigation of the drillings made in 1990 for the Osman 80,000 years ago in the Quaternary period. The İzmit Gazi Bridge, a natural connection between the Black Sea and Channel is mentioned for the first time in 1997 and it has the Sea of Marmara has been found on the Lower Sakarya been shown that the natural connection can be artificially Valley, Sapanca Lake and Gulf of İzmit. This natural constructed in accordance with today's conditions. connection ceased to be 80,000 years ago. Russian In 2010, the samples of the 4 drillings in the northern area geoscientists have argued that this connection took place and 3 in the southern area were re-examined in order to naturally three times in the period between 800,000 and obtain detailed information for the bridge construction. In 80,000 years ago. Considering the paleontological findings order to support this idea, detailed studies on the foraminifera, 2 Engin Meric: İzmit Channel and Its History in the Light of Paleontological Findings ostracod and mollusks have been made and the results of the Central Asian Turkish States and the Ottoman Empire in Black Sea-Marmara Sea connection can be determined. different areas. After the first Siege of Vienna 450 years ago, The first studies for the Osman Gazi Bridge started 27 Sokullu Mehmet Pasha wanted to realize this channel project years ago. The multidisciplinary research was carried out for by thinking that it would be more accurate that the Ottomans more than 4 years by 42 scientists, five of whom were would reach Central Asian Turkish States rather than Europe. foreigners (Israel, Italy, France, England and Russia), on the Another important issue related to this was the re- samples of 9 deep drilling made for the bridge. The results implementation of the natural Manych Channel ley, which were published as a book consisting of 27 sections and 355 had existed during the Pleistocene period, as mentioned pages with the name of Gulf of İzmit Quaternary Sequence, earlier. It can be seen that Sokullu Mehmet Pasha, as a and at the end of 1995 it was presented to the scientific world. forward-thinking statesman, had already considered that the Various studies in the book have received more than 450 Ottoman Empire should seek its future in Central Asia, not in citations. Although these drillings were made for Osman Europe. Perhaps its purpose was to establish a great Turkish- Gazi Bridge, unexpected results were obtained with regard to Islamic State in the region from Eastern Europe to Central the history of the region. The new data from recent drillings Asia, from the Caucasus to the Indian Ocean and North under the aforementioned bridge project strongly support the Africa. If the artificial construction of the Manych Channel, same results. This idea, first proposed by Russian scientist which was naturally present in the Quaternary, had been Andrussow [1], is also supported by the data obtained today realized, the flow of history would be different from the [2-6]. Tschepalyga also reported that the waterway was present, but Sokullu Mehmet Pasha failed to realize this idea naturally open in the Chaudian (between 800,000-500,000 throughout his life. The second channel event is the Suez years bp), the Old Euxinian (between 450,000-350,000 years Canal, which is one of the key points of the First World War, bp) and the Karangatian (150,000-80,000 years bp) [7]; also which today is an important water and politically important suggested that it was closed naturally in the Uzunlarien waterway. The Suez settlement was a small city in Egypt, (300,000-200,000 years bp) and in the New Euxinian which had been part of the Ottoman Empire for a long time. (27,000-11,800 years bp). In another study carried out around The Suez Canal was built between 1859 and 1869 under the Yalova, it was determined that there were terraces indicating administration of the Frenchman Ferdinand de Lesseps. The the presence of the Karangatian macrofauna [8]. This data channel, which is composed of young Pleistocene sediments clearly reveals the presence of the natural waterway between such as Gulf of İzmit-Sapanca Lake and built on flat land, Sakarya Valley-Sapanca Lake and Gulf of İzmit. In addition was realized by utilizing natural water areas such as Büyük to that, it was the Russian scientists that named it “The İzmit Acı Lake, Küçük Acı Lake and Crocodile Lake. The channel, Channel” [7]. In the same period there was also another which shortened the London-Bombay sea route by 44%, natural waterway called the “Manych Channel”, again named created a major political problem in the UK and France over by the Russians, between the Sea of Azov and the Caspian time. The British Empire, which now holds the southern Sea. Today, this channel, where small tonnage ships cross, Asian states known as India and Pakistan as colonies, had was also open like the İzmit Channel during the Chaudian, worked hard to destroy the French influence in this region. Old Euxinian and Karangatian periods (Figure 1) [7]. As a result, with the Treaty of Istanbul dated October 29, According to the historian Hammer, the creation of a 1888, it was ensured that the channel was open to ships of all waterway between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara countries in both war and peace. Again, in the first and was mentioned by the Roman Emperor Trajan (Traianus) for second world wars, the strategic position of the channel the first time. He is the second of five successful emperors of became very important, and the channel area was the scene the Roman Empire. He lived between 53-117 AD. In order to of the Ottoman Operation against the British in 1915 and establish a connection between Sapanca Lake and the Gulf of 1916, and the German Operation in the Second World War. İzmit within the boundaries of Nicomedia (İzmit), the With the construction of the channel, cities such as Ismailia, Emperor was informed by Plinius, who was the governor of Port Said and Port Fuad were formed in these coastal areas. Bithynia and who knew the region well [9].