Vrgorsko polje, Karst field in Dalmatia, Croatia
Vrgorsko polje is a karst field in Dalmatia that spreads across the landscape between Vrgorac and Ploče. The Matica River flows through this plain, fed by several natural springs and eventually disappearing into sinkholes at the field's southeastern end.
The field's local name, Jezero, means lake, because winter flooding regularly covered the lower ground before drainage works. By October 1938 a 2,130-metre drainage tunnel had been dug to carry water to the Baćina lakes, from where a 160-metre tunnel leads it to the sea. Post-war works included cutting the Prigon rock saddle in 1945–1946, and drainage works between 1972 and 1977 increased outflow, though excess water still is not fully solved.
Regional farmers maintain traditional agricultural practices by cultivating strawberries, cereals, vines, tobacco, and vegetables across 28.4 square kilometers of fertile land.
The Zagreb-Ploče highway runs along the northern edge and provides easy access to the field. The terrain is flat and mostly open, making it straightforward to explore on foot or by vehicle.
The field's lowest parts flood in winter from spring and rain water, while summers are dry; the water drains through sinkholes such as Kruška, Staševica, Crpala, Krotuša, Spilov, Krtinovac and Crni vir. A 2,130-metre drainage tunnel dug by October 1938 leads water to the Baćina lakes, then a 160-metre tunnel carries it to the sea.
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