Drought Dries Up Stream in Moravian Karst, Killing Dozens of Crayfish

In the Moravian Karst nature reserve, the Bílá Voda stream, which flows from Baldovec to Holštejn, has run dry. According to the reserve administration, almost no water remains in the streambed, and the stretch from the bridge to Holštejn near the Nová Rasovna sinkhole has dried up completely — including deep pools that had never dried up before.

Low water levels are an annual problem, but this year's situation is different: the stream has already dried up twice this season, dealing a heavy blow to local wildlife. A few minnow and stone loach fry can still be seen in the remaining puddles, but ecologists say almost all of them will die within days as the water disappears entirely.

Crayfish Vanishing Before Our Eyes

Bílá Voda is considered one of the most important habitats for the noble crayfish — in good years, thousands of them lived here. But the annual droughts have steadily weakened the population. Where hundreds of dead crayfish were counted three years ago, only dozens remain today — a sign that the species has never managed to recover its former numbers.

"After this year, the situation will only get worse. During Friday's inspection we found dozens of dead crayfish, and only about twenty were still alive," reserve administration representatives said.

Months of Drought to Blame

According to the protected area's management, the rainfall deficit has been building since winter, and since June conditions have become "absolutely dire" — the region hasn't seen even localized thunderstorms in weeks that could have offered some relief. Matters were made worse by tree felling above Holštejn, since the trees used to provide shade and slow the drying of the streambed.

Ecologists are hoping for heavy rain, as well as for upstream ponds to release more water — though in this extremely dry year, that outcome seems unlikely. Meteorologists forecast possible rainfall over Moravia on Monday, but nothing resembling the sustained rain needed to break the drought.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz