Küçük Menderes River

Küçük Menderes ("Little Meander"), Cayster River, Caystrus River or Kaystros River (Ancient Greek: Κάϋστρος, romanized: Káÿstros) is a river south of İzmir, Turkey. It generally flows westward and arrives at the Aegean Sea at Pamucak beach, near Selçuk, İzmir.

Cayster River
Cayster near Ödemiş
Location
Country	Turkey
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Beydağ, İzmir
• elevation	220 m (722 ft)
Mouth
• location	Selçuk, İzmir
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	114 km (71 mi)
Basin size	3,502 km2 (1,352 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	11.45 m3/s (404 cu ft/s)

The ancient city of Ephesus was once an important port on the river,^[1] but over the centuries, sedimentation gradually filled in the inlet around the city. The ancient port of Panormus was near its mouth.^[2] The coastlines moved seaward, and the ruins of Ephesus are now some 8 km (5.0 mi) inland from the coast.

Its tributaries are the Fertek, Uladı, Ilıca, Değirmen, Aktaş, Rahmanlar, Prinçci, Yuvalı, Ceriközkayası, Eğridere, Birgi, Çevlik and Keles.

The river is currently just north of the Büyük Menderes ("Great Meander") River; both rivers have often changed their course.