Lake Mietkowskie

Lake Mietkowskie, also known as Zalew Mietkowski, is an artificial retention reservoir on the River Bystrzyca, about 25 kilometres south-west of Wrocław. With an area of 9.29 km2, it is the largest reservoir of its kind in Lower Silesia. It lies within the Bystrzyca Valley Landscape Park, across the municipalities of Mietków, Kąty Wrocławskie, Sobótka and Miękinia.

Where it came from

Construction of the reservoir at Mietków began in 1974, and filling with water was completed in 1986. The dam is 16-17 metres high and stretches for 3.2 kilometres, with the reservoir's capacity reaching several tens of millions of cubic metres of water. The lake serves mainly as flood protection for the Bystrzyca valley and Wrocław, and aggregate is also extracted from it. In 2007 and 2011 the reservoir was drained for dam repair works.

By the water

The entire reservoir, together with the adjoining meadows and reed beds, is covered by the "Zbiornik Mietkowski" Natura 2000 special bird protection area - surveys have recorded over a hundred breeding bird species here, and large flocks of geese and ducks stop here in autumn. On the southern shore, in Borzygniew, there is a guarded bathing area with a sandy beach, watersports equipment hire and a food outlet. Thanks to its proximity to the Ślęża massif, the reservoir has good wind conditions, making it popular with windsurfers and kitesurfers - a windsurfing school also operates here. A walking route of several kilometres runs along the crest of the dam and embankments, also marked as a blue hiking trail. Check current water conditions for bathing on the GIS Bathing Site Service (sk.gis.gov.pl).

Nearby

Within a few kilometres of the lake, in the municipality of Mietków, you can visit several historic residences and the local library:

• Pałac w Maniowie Małym
• Biblioteka Publiczna w Mietkowie, filia w Domanicach
• Pałac w Proszkowicach
• Pałac w Siedlimowicach

Practical information

• Getting there: from Wrocław on the road towards Mietków; the bathing area and beach are in Borzygniew on the southern shore.
• Parking by the bathing area in Borzygniew and by the dam in Mietków.
• The walking route runs along the crest of the dam and embankments, about five kilometres one way.
• The bathing area is designated each year by a resolution of the municipality; check the season and current water quality on the GIS Bathing Site Service.