"There's dry land now where I used to go fishing": Horrendous scenes from Gruza Lake in central Serbia

Only its outlines, that can be stepped over, stand where there used to be the shore of one of the most beautiful Serbian lakes in the central Sumadija region. The water level on Gruza Lake (Gruzansko Jezero) near the town of Knic has dropped drastically in recent days, and now devastating photos are arriving from that place.

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This artificial lake at 273 meters above sea level, that used to be an oasis for hikers, fishers and tourists, has now been turned into a wasteland.

"I come on weekends to go fishing and what I found now left be dumbfounded. There's dry land where I used to go by boat to my fishing spots. The water level has receded by a few meters, and when you go a little farther, there are islets emerging in some places that I have never been seen before. You can't remain indifferent at the sight of stranded boats," Budimir, who took the dramatic photos showing the lake drying up, has told RINA.

Gruza Lake is one of the largest reservoir lakes in the region, created when a dam was built on the Gruza River. It supplies water to about 300,000 people who live nearby. Nicknamed "the Sumadija Sea," is a true paradise for lovers of fishing because the water is extremely rich in numerous species, including large ones.

"The fish variety that can be seen here is extremely interesting. Because of planned stocking, you can find almost any species here nowadays. Zander, large catfish, pike, European perch, carp, common bleak, common bream, Prussian carp. Gruza Lake is an ideal place for recreational fishermen," said Vladica Simic, a professor at the Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Kragujevac.

Numerous rare birds also find their habitat on this picturesque lake. Since it is located on the Morava-Vardar migratory route, the lake plays a very important role during the migration of birds, but is also a wintering spot for some species of ducks and geese.

There have been proposals to declare the part of the lake in the direction of the confluence of the Boracka and Gruza Rivers as a protected area.

(Telegraf.rs)