A huge lake is drying up. Residents devastated. 3 meters of water were lost

The drop in water level is visible to the naked eye, and bushes have appeared where the water once stood. Residents are wringing their hands because most of them make their living from tourism. Despite recent heavy rainfall, the situation is not improving. They blame Polish Waters for the terrible condition of the lake.

Polish waters are explaining themselves

Representatives of Polish Waters argue that they are not responsible for the water condition in the lake. Currently, the dam by the lake is undergoing renovation. Residents claim that the works that have been going on for a long time are affecting the water level in the lake.

Wojciech Kozak, director of the Regional Water Management Plant in Krakow, spoke on the matter for TVP 3 Kielce.

– The reason for the low water level is not the renovation of the dam, but hydrological drought and low water levels on Czarna Staszowska, which supplies the reservoir. Currently, the critical minimum is less than one and a half meters away. We discharge 1.1 cubic meters per second, and the inflow is only 0.5-0.6 cubic meters, comments director Wojciech Kozak.

Local entrepreneurs are wringing their hands

Entrepreneurs complain that it has been a long time since there has been such a poor tourist season. Despite the holidays, the campsites are empty. Nobody rents boats or uses local attractions. Those who built houses for rent do not hide their nervousness.

– There are no guests, because anyone who hears that there is no water does not come – complain the residents.

– There was no one there last week, not a single person – says Marianna Perczak, who invested money in a new campsite three years ago.

The history of Lake Chańcza

Lake Chańcza is located in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, near the village of Chańcza and the town of Raków. The history of the creation of this place is very interesting, because the reservoir was created for 10 years from 1974 to 1984 as a result of flooding a fragment of meadows, fields and forests in the Czarna River valley. Bushes and trees were cleared for the planned investment and a few buildings were demolished. The lake area covers 340 hectares. The depth reaches 11 meters.

The lake is very popular among the local population. WOPR lifeguards are on duty on the beach. It is possible to rent a boat and use catering services. The reservoir used to be one of the best zander fishing grounds in Poland. Currently, you can fish here, among others: perch, pike and asp.

Let’s save the lake

A solution for Chańcza could be to change the decision of the Ministry of Climate and Environment to reduce the water flow at the dam. Such actions may be requested by, among others, Polish Waters.