Sources of the Maeander

Not far from Dinar rise several sources of the Büyük Menderes (Great Maeander River), tributaries of which include the Orgas (flowing north), Obrimas (flowing south) and Marsyas. Between the Samsun-Ak Dag and the Kir-Kizkuyu Dag, two mountain ranges east of the town, stretches an extensive polje (depression), the Dombay Ovasi, harboring the very swampy Çapali Gölü (ancient: Aulokrene reed lake). The basin traps water from a number of surface streams and large karst springs (Kavak Pinari, Pinarbasi), which then disappears into a karst swallow hole (ponor) at the foot of Akdag on the western edge of the swamp before emerging again on the far (west) side of the uplands in the guise of sources of the Maeander. The river has three principal