Orlík Reservoir, Hydroelectric reservoir in Central Bohemia, Czech Republic
The Orlík Reservoir stretches 68 kilometers along the Vltava River and holds 720 million cubic meters of water behind a 91-meter-high concrete barrier. The water surface covers 27 square kilometers with branching inlets between forested hills.
Construction of this dam started in 1954 and finished in 1961, flooding several villages in the process. The project fundamentally changed the river course and created a new landscape in Central Bohemia.
This artificial lake takes its name from the nearby castle that has overlooked the river valley for centuries. Anglers come here for the pike-perch population, while sailors use the open water between wooded shores.
Boat rentals and campsites line the shores and are easily reached during summer months. Several swimming areas offer water access, while hiking trails connect the hilltops above the lake.
The reservoir's name comes from Orlík Castle, which once stood high above the deep Vltava valley but now rises only a few metres above the water. The dam's four Kaplan turbines, fed by steel pipes 625 cm in diameter, produce 398.1 GWh a year.
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