Lake Palčje
Encyclopedia
Lake Palčje is an intermittent lake in the Upper Pivka Basin north of the settlement Palčje
in the Inner Carniola region of Slovenia
. It fills an oval-shaped karst
depression approximately 1.5 km long and 0.5 km wide. Its bottom is relatively level at between 543 and 557 m above the sea, but the banks are steep. Lake Palčje is the largest among the Pivka Lakes with average maximum water area around 1 km².
The bottom is at the groundwater
level, so the amount of water depends on current hydrological
conditions. Usually, the lake fills after the heavy rains in late autumn and again in spring. On average, the area is flooded for around three months every year. The lake's main inflow
is the estavelle
Matija's Cave out of which the water flowing from the Javornik Hills erupts.
livestock
and harvest hay
. The farmers in nearby Palčje begin mowing at the end of July, when they finish with surrounding pastures. The garlic
that grows on the bottom affects the taste of the milk, so the hay is used for feeding horses instead of cattle
.
Ice-making was a supplementary source of income for locals from the end of the 18th century until the middle of the 20th century; farmers from Pivka used to break off ice blocks and store them until spring, then transport them on horse-pulled carts to Trieste
where it was used in butcher shops, fisheries and restaurants before the onset of electric cooling. Women would pick herbs for herbal remedies
, mostly juniper
berries, ribwort plantain
, yarrow, thyme
, and others. Branches of willow
s that grow around the lake were used for basket weaving
.
Abandoned military facilities in vicinity bear witness of military use of this area. The broader area of the Pivka Lakes was used as a military training ground first by the Austro-Hungarian army, and later by the Italian
and Yugoslav armed forces
. During military exercises, local inhabitants were compensated for their inability to use it. The area has not been used for military purposes since 1991, and the damage to the bed of Lake Palčje has been repaired.
Today, the lake and its surroundings form part of the Natura 2000
network. Cutting hay continues until this day and development is directed towards ecotourism
and sustainable agriculture
.
Palcje
Palčje is a village to the east of Pivka in the Inner Carniola region of Slovenia.The local church, built on the central village square, is dedicated to Saint Nicholas and belongs to the Trnje Parish....
in the Inner Carniola region of Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. It fills an oval-shaped karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
depression approximately 1.5 km long and 0.5 km wide. Its bottom is relatively level at between 543 and 557 m above the sea, but the banks are steep. Lake Palčje is the largest among the Pivka Lakes with average maximum water area around 1 km².
The bottom is at the groundwater
Groundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
level, so the amount of water depends on current hydrological
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
conditions. Usually, the lake fills after the heavy rains in late autumn and again in spring. On average, the area is flooded for around three months every year. The lake's main inflow
Inflow (hydrology)
In hydrology, the inflow of a body of water is the source of the water in the body of water. It can also refer to the average volume of incoming water in unit time. It is contrasted with outflow....
is the estavelle
Ponor
A ponor is a natural surface opening that may be found in landscapes where the geology and the geomorphology is characterized by some kind of karst....
Matija's Cave out of which the water flowing from the Javornik Hills erupts.
Use
The area is filled with water for significant part of the year, so the lake's bottom cannot be used for agriculture, but the grassy surface makes it possible to allows grazeGrazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
and harvest hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
. The farmers in nearby Palčje begin mowing at the end of July, when they finish with surrounding pastures. The garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
that grows on the bottom affects the taste of the milk, so the hay is used for feeding horses instead of cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
.
Ice-making was a supplementary source of income for locals from the end of the 18th century until the middle of the 20th century; farmers from Pivka used to break off ice blocks and store them until spring, then transport them on horse-pulled carts to Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
where it was used in butcher shops, fisheries and restaurants before the onset of electric cooling. Women would pick herbs for herbal remedies
Herbalism
Herbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, herblore, and phytotherapy...
, mostly juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
berries, ribwort plantain
Plantago lanceolata
Plantago lanceolata is a species of genus Plantago known by the common names ribwort plantain, English plantain, and narrowleaf plantain. It is a common weed of cultivated land....
, yarrow, thyme
Thyme
Thyme is a culinary and medicinal herb of the genus Thymus.-History:Ancient Egyptians used thyme for embalming. The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing it was a source of courage...
, and others. Branches of willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
s that grow around the lake were used for basket weaving
Basket weaving
Basket weaving is the process of weaving unspun vegetable fibres into a basket or other similar form. People and artists who weave baskets are called basketmakers and basket weavers.Basketry is made from a variety of fibrous or pliable materials•anything that will bend and form a shape...
.
Abandoned military facilities in vicinity bear witness of military use of this area. The broader area of the Pivka Lakes was used as a military training ground first by the Austro-Hungarian army, and later by the Italian
Military of Italy
The Italian armed forces are the military of Italy, they are under the command of the Italian Supreme Council of Defence, presided over by the President of the Italian Republic. The total number of active military personnel is 293,202...
and Yugoslav armed forces
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
. During military exercises, local inhabitants were compensated for their inability to use it. The area has not been used for military purposes since 1991, and the damage to the bed of Lake Palčje has been repaired.
Today, the lake and its surroundings form part of the Natura 2000
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.-Origins:In May 1992, the governments of the European Communities adopted legislation designed to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe. This legislation is called the...
network. Cutting hay continues until this day and development is directed towards ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
and sustainable agriculture
Sustainable agriculture
Sustainable agriculture is the practice of farming using principles of ecology, the study of relationships between organisms and their environment...
.