Velká Domaša
Encyclopedia
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
situated in the mountains surrounding The Low Beskids
Low Beskids
The ', ', Low Beskids or Lower Beskids is one of the Beskids mountain ranges in the Outer Eastern Carpathians in southeastern Poland and northeastern Slovakia...
, in the north of the town Vranov nad Topľou
Vranov nad Toplou
Vranov nad Topľou is a city of approximately 23,000 inhabitants in eastern Slovakia, situated near Košice and Prešov, and between the Topľa River and the Ondava River....
, in Eastern Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
.
Geography and history
The Domaša Dam Lake was built by blocking the OndavaOndava
The Ondava is a 146.5 km long river in Slovakia, the northern source river of the Bodrog. Its source is in the Low Beskids , near the village Nižná Polianka, close to the border with Poland...
river course at the village of Veľká Domaša. The villages of Dobrá nad Ondavou, Trepec, Kelča, Valkov, and Petejovce and their environs were flooded. The construction began in 1962 and was completed in 1967. The lake’s water surface, which is 14 km (8.7 mi) long, 4 km (2.5 mi) wide and between 18 and 32.5 m (59 to 106 ft) deep, covers an area of 1,510 hectares (3,731 acres).
Domaša is spread over the area of the districts of Vranov nad Topľou and Stropkov at the average altitude of 156 m (507 ft). With an agreeable climate and an average temperature of 23 °C (73 °F) it guarantees pleasant swimming in clean water from June to mid-September.
Biology and ecology
The banks abound in a variety of water fowl, such as black storkBlack Stork
The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related White Stork. It is seen in...
, plover
Plover
Plovers are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. There are about 40 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subfamily, Vanellinae, comprises another 20-odd species.Plovers are found throughout...
, swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
, heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
and duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
. Representatives of some bird predators can also be spotted here.
Fishing
Fishermen can delight in calm places with rich occurrence of fish like carpCarp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
, pike, eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
, silver salmon or barbell
Barbell
A barbell is a piece of exercise equipment used in weight training, weightlifting and powerlifting. Barbells range in length from to although bars above 7' in length are used primarily by powerlifters and aren't commonplace...
. Rich fishing is available also in a neighbouring lake near the villages of Malá Domaša
Malá Domaša
Malá Domaša is a village and municipality in Vranov nad Topľou District in the Prešov Region of eastern Slovakia.-Geography:...
and Slovenská Kajňa
Slovenská Kajna
Slovenská Kajňa is a village and municipality in Vranov nad Topľou District in the Prešov Region of eastern Slovakia.-Geography:...
.
Tourism
The lake, surrounded by rolling hills, offers wide possibilities of recreation and water sports. The right bank of the lake is covered by forests, and on the opposite side woods alternate with meadows. The area is highly suitable for mushroom-pickers, hunters and lovers of long hikes in the country.There are five holiday destinations: Dobrá
Dobrá
Dobrá can refer to:*Dobrá, a village in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic*Dobrá, a village in the Košice Region of Slovakia...
, Poľany
Polany
Poľany is a village and municipality in the Trebišov District in the Košice Region of south-eastern Slovakia.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of 103 metres and covers an area of 18.505 km².It has a population of about 535 people....
, Holčíkovce
Holcíkovce
Holčíkovce is a village and municipality in Vranov nad Topľou District in the Prešov Region of eastern Slovakia.-Geography:...
, Nová Kelča
Nová Kelca
Nová Kelča is a village and municipality in Vranov nad Topľou District in the Prešov Region of eastern Slovakia.-Geography:...
and Valkov. Its western bank is accessible from Prešov
Prešov
Prešov Historically, the city has been known in German as Eperies , Eperjes in Hungarian, Fragopolis in Latin, Preszów in Polish, Peryeshis in Romany, Пряшев in Russian and Пряшів in Rusyn and Ukrainian.-Characteristics:The city is a showcase of Baroque, Rococo and Gothic...
through Hanušovce nad Topľou
Hanušovce nad Toplou
Hanušovce nad Topľou is a town in the Vranov nad Topľou District, Prešov Region in eastern Slovakia, near the Topľa river.-Geography:Hanušovce nad Topľou lies at an altitude of above sea level and covers an area of...
by a 10 km (6.2 mi) long road leading through beech forests of the Low Beskids
Low Beskids
The ', ', Low Beskids or Lower Beskids is one of the Beskids mountain ranges in the Outer Eastern Carpathians in southeastern Poland and northeastern Slovakia...
and ending in the Dobrá recreation centre.
Infrastructure
Along the lake's eastern bank runs the main road from Vranov nad Topľou through Stropkov to DuklaDukla
Dukla ; , Duklya] is a town and an eponymous municipality in southeastern Poland, in the Subcarpathian Voivodship. The town is populated by 2,127 people . while the total population of the commune containing the town and the villages surrounding it is 16,640...
, a Slovak – Polish border crossing. The same road offers access to the Poľany, Holčíkovce and Nová Kelča recreation centres. From the towns of Giraltovce, Stropkov and Svidník there is another access route to the two recreation centres on the western bank of the lake, Bžany and Valkov. Each centre provides a network of shopping services, public toilets, drinking water supply, sports equipment rentals and parking lots.