[1][2][3][4] Situated 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Istanbul's city center, the lake was formed in shallow water when a sandbank caused its separation from the Sea of Marmara.

A narrow channel in the east interrupts this sandbank, and serves as an outlet emptying excessive water in the lake into the Sea of Marmara.

[5][6] The lake is significantly polluted due to rapid urbanization, migration and industrialization activities over the last decade in the area around it.

From observations of aerial views, evidence of previous roads arranged in a grid plan was detected.

[12][13] An anthropological forensic study of a human skull extracted from one of the 70 historic graves in Bathonea, revealed that thousands of years ago, an attempt at brain surgery was made there.

[15] Since 1999, Galatasaray's rowing division is based in Kanarya neighborhood at Lake Küçükçekmece with its 120 racing boats.