Dospat Dam
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Dospat Dam (язовир Доспат) is a dam located in the western Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria. It is situated in the interior of the Rhodope Mountains, in the immediate proximity of the town of the same name, at distance of 82 km west of Smolyan. Located 1,200 metres above the sea level, it is the highest dam in Bulgaria in terms of altitude, and, with its 22 km² of water area, the second largest in capacity. It is fed by the Sarnitsa river.
The flora and fauna around the dam are diverse and the geography offers breathtaking sights. Old coniferous forests surround the lake. On the northern bank where the towns of Sarnitsa and Krusha are located the terrain is hilly, with meadows and arable land available, used for grazing, potato growing and other agricultural activities. Parallel to the south bank are steep slopes covered in spruce and this bank is where most holiday cabins and hotels are located.
The dam is rich in fish. It is stocked with perch, trout (rainbow, brown, brook and grayling), carp and various other members of Cyprinidae. Trout are reared in cages within the dam. Most types of fishing are practiced: spinning with lures, fly fishing, and others.
In the surrounding areas there are a number of other dams, including Vacha, Beglika, Batak and Shiroka Polyana. The area offers great opportunities for recreation and tourism.
Accessibility is, however, rather poor. Three main mountain roads link the dam to the rest of the world. One from Batak, a second from Velingrad to Sarnitsa and a third from Devin to the town of Dospat. The latter two have in recent time sustained damage due to freak weather. The one from Batak allows accessibility to some of the other Rhodope dams along its length. It forks into two roads; one leading to the town of Dospat and the other to Sarnitsa. This road to Sarnitsa is in places very rutted and may prove a challenge to navigate. Along the south bank there runs a rough dirt track from Sarnitsa to Dospat but this is only used to access the holiday spots.
