Water Level in the Orlík Dam Drops Sharply, Exposing Ruins of Flooded Villages

The water level in Orlík, the largest reservoir in Czechia, has dropped by a full metre in just one week, falling below the 340-metre mark above sea level. According to water management officials, this is roughly nine metres below the desired level.

Experts are having to release water continuously in order to maintain the necessary flow further down the Vltava, and eventually the Elbe as well. As a result, the remains of villages long submerged beneath the reservoir are once again emerging in the shallower areas — for instance, near the Podolí Bridge.

Specialists expect the water level at Orlík to fall even further. The reservoir is considered the largest by volume among all dams in Czechia, and its condition has a direct impact on the water balance of several major rivers in the country.

Read also: Prague Metro: map and tickets

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz