Orava (reservoir)

The Orava Reservoir ( Slovak Orava priehrada ) is a reservoir in northern Slovakia. It is the largest lake in the country ² 35.2 km. The dam was built to generate electricity 1941-1953 by the two sources of the Orava ( German Arwa ) were dammed by a dam, with some former localities ( Slanica, Osada, Oravské Hamre, Lavkovo and Ústie ) were flooded. As a side effect, the region ( cottages) developed by the reservoir of a secluded rural area to a tourist area with many hotels, inns and Chatas right on the lake. There was even a new place Ústie nad Priehradou, in the corridors of places Oravské Hamre, Osada and Ústie.

From Slanica looks just the Kirchberg, with the church standing on it out of the water. In it was established as a branch of the Orava Gallery Dolny Kubin, a permanent exhibition. Why it is called the Museum Island.

At the reservoir, the city is Námestovo. About a bridge over the lake is accessible from there the district Slanická Osada. From there in the summer (15 May to 15 September) can be taken every hour boat trips to the museum island in the lake. The price of the boat ride, the entrance fee is included to Museum Island.

At very low water level, the island can also be reached on foot from the north shore (of Eddy's Ranch ). In winter, the island is officially unavailable and closed the museum there, but the ice is usually from December to March thick enough to reach the island with skates or on foot. The ice state is localized to ask.

The main lake above the 28 meters high and up to 14 meters thick dam ( VD Orava ), has been extended in the period 1972 to 1978 at one second dam ( VD Tvrdošín ) below the first, lying directly in the city Tvrdošín. This created a second pool of water where the place Štefanov nad Oravou is.

The reservoir and associated dams are operated by the " Slovenský vodohospodársky podnik " (SVP ). In VD Orava is achieved by means of two Kaplan turbines, each 50 ms a capacity of up to 21.8 MW.