A million years ago, Lake Koroneia along with Lake Volvi and all of the Mygdonian basin was a single large lake. Since then, its area has declined and the distance from neighboring Lake Volvi is becoming larger. In the 1950s, Koroneia was among the lakes of Greece with the biggest fish production. In the 1970s, its area was 45 km2, with a depth of about five metres. Since then it has shrunk to about one third of its original area, and its depth has decreased to less than 1 metre. In the summer of 2009, it was possible to walk across the lake.[2] In spite of being a wetland of international importance, as recognized by the Ramsar Convention,[3] the lake suffers from pollution and intensive agriculture. The European Commission has referred Greece to the European Court of Justice for its failure to protect Lake Koroneia.[4]
In 2019, Lake Koroneia's worsening situation drew widespread attention and coverage by the Greek media, with reports for further water level decreases and sights of dead fish on its shores. The Greek government announced that the Ministries responsible for the lake, are working on urgent measures to help prevent the ecological catastrophe and improve the lake's situation.[5]
