Beli Iskar Reservoir, reservoir in Bulgaria
The Beli Iskar Reservoir is a small water storage in the Rila Mountains of western Bulgaria. It stretches for about 2,800 m (9,200 ft) in length with a width of roughly 550 m (1,800 ft) and is held back by a concrete gravity dam approximately 51 m (167 ft) tall.
The reservoir was constructed between 1935 and 1945 to collect and store water from the Beli Iskar River. Since its completion, it has served the region for water management and supplying drinking water to local communities and farms.
The name Beli Iskar comes from the river it was built on, with "beli" meaning white and referring to the clear water. The place serves the local communities as a spot for walks and quiet time in nature, where people come to watch birds and enjoy the mountain surroundings.
The location sits at a high elevation in the mountains and is best accessed during dry weather, as paths around it can become slippery otherwise. Early morning and late afternoon offer the best conditions for walks and spotting wildlife.
The reservoir houses a small hydroelectric power plant with two Pelton turbines that generates about 27 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually, powering part of the local grid. This hidden power station makes the location more than just water storage, transforming it into an active energy producer for the region.
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