At the end of September 2026 the stone dam of the medieval Zlechov pond emerged from the Plumlovská přehrada reservoir in the Prostějov area. Because of long-term drought and a lower inflow, the reservoir's water level fell markedly and stood at around 270.5 metres above sea level, almost three metres below the level of the storage space. The maximum retention water level is 277.58 metres.[1][2][3]
The exposed dam makes it possible to cross almost the whole width of the reservoir on foot and has attracted hikers and cyclists. Several boats have been left stranded on the exposed banks.[1][2][3]
Before the reservoir was built, the Zlechovský and Stichovský ponds stood on the site, and their history goes back several centuries. The dam of the lower-lying Stichovský pond served as the foundation of the present reservoir dam. After the reservoir was filled, the dam of the Zlechovský pond ended up under water and rises above the surface only when the reservoir is drawn down considerably, for example for repairs, or during extreme drought.[1][2][3]
The main function of the Plumlov waterworks is to reduce flood flows and to improve minimum flows of the Hloučela stream in times of drought. At the end of 2009 the reservoir was drained for cleaning of the bed and repair of the dam, and in autumn 2013, once the work was finished, it began to be filled again. Povodí Moravy invested roughly CZK 270 million in the repairs.[1][2][3]
Chronology
- — Because of drought, the dam of the original medieval pond emerged from the Plumlov Reservoir in the Olomouc Region. iDNES.cz Deník: Olomoucký kraj
Sources
- iDNES.cz — 29 September 2026
- Deník: Olomoucký kraj — 29 September 2026
- Ekolist.cz — 29 September 2026