Uvac Lake – Sjenica Lake
Uvac Lake, locally known as Sjenica Lake is located 1000 meters above sea level and extends through the canyon of the river Uvac, from Zlatar Mountain to Sjenica. The lake forms part of the hydropower system that was created on the Uvac River through the construction of 3 large dams and 3 lakes in Uvacki, Zlatarsko and Radoinjski. Submergence of villages and coastal areas of the Uvac river resulted in 3 water reservoirs being used for electricity production.
Lake Uvac is the highest and largest of three lakes in the region. Below it one finds the Zlatarsko Lake and finally the lowest and smallest the Radoinjsko Lake. A pipeline stretching 40 km runs from the Radoinjsko lake into the Lim River, where it produces electric energy for the fourth time.
National Reserve Uvac
Lake Uvac is located in the protected area of the Uvac Reserve. The area was protected in 1971 with the aim of preserving the local Griffon vultures that were under threat of extinction. The Uvac Reserve is today the largest habitat for the Griffon vultures in the Balkans. Hiking trails which begin at the lake continue their journey alongside vulture nests on the cliffs which plunge into the lake, offering tourists meanders of extraordinary natural beauty. The reserve now has a population of 500 griffon vultures which being a protected species are under the care of the keepers of the reserve.
The lake was created through the construction of a dam in 1971. The dam is 110 meters high and is uniquely an earthen dam. The lake is 27 kilometers long and rich in fish that remained in the lake while Uvac was a river. Uvac’s meanders which are symbolic to this region and can be reached in one of two ways, by boat, from which one can visit the Ice Cave or by means of an all-terrain vehicle that offers the opportunity to visit several other vantage points. The viewpoints are located at an altitude of about 100 meters above the water and offer an amazing view of this wonder of nature. This area is full of local legends and hidden beauty that you will discover when participating in our tour. Deep below the lookout is the Uvac Usak cave system with various offshoot caves. The ice cave forms part of the large cave maze network having a constant annual temperature of 8 degrees. Because of its low year round temperature it is speculated that the residents of the old town located on the hill across from the cave entrance probably used it as a food pantry, a kind of medieval huge fridge!
