Lake Pernica, reservoir in Slovenia

Lake Pernica is a two-part reservoir on the Pesnica River northeast of Maribor, created in 1969 by a dam near the village of Pernica. A barrier splits it roughly in half: the northern basin, fed by the Jareninski and Vukovski streams, holds about 1.4 million m³, while the southern basin, fed directly by the Pesnica, holds 2 million m³. The Pomurje motorway runs along an embankment at the southern edge.

Lake Pernica was formed in 1969 when a dam was built on the Pesnica River at Pernica, northeast of Maribor, to regulate the river's flow and protect the Pesnica basin from flooding. The reservoir is divided roughly in half by the dam: the upper northern part, fed by the Jareninski and Vukovski streams, holds about 1.4 million m³, while the lower southern part, fed directly by the Pesnica, holds 2 million m³. The reservoir was later slightly reduced during construction of the Pomurje motorway section between Maribor and Lenart, which runs on an embankment along the southern edge; the lower sluice gate was moved slightly higher.

The lake is easily accessible by car with parking available nearby, though there are no cafes or shops in the area. Swimming is not suitable here, but you can fish, walk around the shores, or enjoy the view.

The upper northern basin was declared a zoological nature monument in 1992 for its marsh plant community, a nesting habitat for the little grebe and the black-tailed godwit and a stopover for migrating birds.