Seč Dam
| Seč | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 49°50′00″N 15°39′01″E / 49.83333°N 15.65028°ECoordinates: 49°50′00″N 15°39′01″E / 49.83333°N 15.65028°E |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Chrudimka |
| Primary outflows | Chrudimka |
| Basin countries | Czech Republic |
| Max. length | 7 km |
| Surface area | 220 ha |
| Water volume | 22,000,000 m3 (5.8×109 US gal) |
| Surface elevation | 490,5 m |
Location
Seč dam is the largest dam in the protected landscape area Železné hory. It is located on river Chrudimka in a valley close to the town of the same name, about 20 kilometers from Chrudim and 25 kilometers from Pardubice. The lake is approx. 7 kilometers long and is situated at 490 meters above the sea level.
History
The dam was constructed between 1925 and 1934 as a protection against floods. As a result of the construction, 22 buildings were depopulated and flooded. Remains of some of them are popular destination for scuba divers. A small power plant was constructed between 1941 and 1946. In 1947 another smaller reservoir was constructed approx 1 km from the main lake and it is called Seč II.
Tourism
The lake and its surroundings are the main tourist attraction of the Železné hory region. The surroundings are hilly and covered with forests, meadows and fields. The lake offers great variety of activities including swimming, sailing, boating, windsurfing, scuba diving, fishing in summer and ice skating in winter (at own risk). The forests around the lake offer great opportunity for hiking, horse riding or cross-country skiing in winter. The most important places on Seč and its vicinity are:
- Oheb: Romantic ruins of a castle from the 13th or 14th century. The remains of the castle's largest tower are clearly visible from the lake and make one of the most distinctive sceneries of Železné hory.
Oheb
- Vildštejn: Another ruin of a small castle now located above a road tunnel next to the dam. Unlike Oheb, Vildštejn is not accessible.
- Ostrůvek (little island): Small area below Oheb surrounded by water and covered with trees. It used to be a nudist beach.
- Ústupky: Most of the hotels, restaurants and other recreational facilities are located here.
- Jewish cemetery: On the opposite side, quite well-preserved Jewish tombstones are located close to the bank of the lake.
- Wooden plumbing: Constructed in the 1940s. Outstanding technical sight. Almost 1300m long wooden plumbing that used to supply the power plant with water from the lake.
Ecology
Oheb and Ostrůvek are protected natural areas with rare invertebrate species which are threatened by tourists that visit these sites. Another ecological issue is manure that is washed down the hills during rains and gets into the water. It does not represent a direct risk to the people who swim in the water but it causes algal bloom. In some cases, large areas of green "tufts" can be observed. The algal bloom season on Seč may start as soon as in June and gets worse when there's lack of rain. It is recommended to have a shower after swimming in the water or avoid entering the water when the situations worsens.