Busko Lake

Busko Blato was a seasonal karst field that flooded each winter and drained through sinkholes each summer, and it was dammed in the 1970s for hydroelectric use, creating a reservoir of around fifty-five square kilometres, among the largest artificial lakes in the region. Several villages went under and the church tower of one still shows above the water when levels drop. The lake is used for fishing, particularly for carp and pike, and for swimming and windsurfing off the shallow shores, with a few small settlements and campsites around it. Levels vary considerably through the year with the hydroelectric operation, exposing and covering large areas of shore.

The landscape

• The open reservoir - the wide sheet of water on the karst plain.
• The submerged village - the tower showing at low water.
• Fishing - the carp and pike the lake is worked for.
• The shallow shores - the exposed margins when levels drop.

When to go

June to September for swimming and the warmest weather; levels are usually highest in spring and lowest in late summer. The submerged tower shows at low water. Wind on the open lake picks up in the afternoon.

Before you go

Levels change considerably and the shore can be a long way from the water or under it. Facilities are minimal with a few campsites. The lake is artificial and the surroundings bare karst. There are no lifeguards.

Nearby

Livno lies north; Tomislavgrad is southeast.

Key facts