Lake Otmuchów

A broad expanse of water on the Nysa Kłodzka River, with the Sudetes on the horizon — Lake Otmuchów is an artificial reservoir built in 1928–1933 between Otmuchów and Paczków. It combines flood protection and power generation with fishing, campsites and birdwatching. It is not a uniform resort but a large body of water with a few holiday centres, wild shores and a historic power station.

History and numbers

The reservoir, then called Ottmachauer See (Staubecken Ottmachau), was built during the Weimar Republic. It was ceremonially opened, together with its hydroelectric power station, on 17 June 1933. The earth dam raises the Nysa Kłodzka by up to 18.6 m; when full, the lake covers 20.6 km² and holds about 130 million m³. The flood reserve is 70.8 million m³, and the reservoir closes a catchment of 2,352 km². It belongs to the Nysa Kłodzka Cascade — four reservoirs on the river's middle course: Topola and Kozielno (which together form Paczków Lake), Otmuchów and Nysa.

A power station with a glass hall

The power station was built unusually — on the lake side rather than behind the dam. Its building is a steel-framed, heavily glazed hall nearly 100 m long and more than 11 m high. The generators sit in shafts 7 m below the hall floor. A modernisation was completed in 2014, replacing the Kaplan turbines and generators; each of the two generators now has a capacity of about 3.5 MW.

Birds and fish

The reservoir lies within the Otmuchów-Nysa Protected Landscape Area and the Natura 2000 bird area "Otmuchów Reservoir". Nearby is a grey heron colony that is unique on a national scale. Three species of grebe, the little bittern and the marsh harrier nest in the reeds of the western part, while migrating Eurasian curlews, grey plovers and sandpipers stop by; divers turn up too. Anglers come mainly for bream and zander, which according to the regional tourism portal can reach 10–15 kg.

Tripto tips

Spring and autumn are best for birds — go early in the morning and bring binoculars. Holiday centres, campsites and bathing spots are scattered around the shore, so choose a specific village before you go and check whether a bathing area is open there. The water level varies noticeably depending on water management — when it is low, the shores can be wide and muddy. Keep out of the technical areas of the dam and power station. A stay by the lake combines easily with a walk around Otmuchów and Paczków, or with Lake Nysa on the other side of town.