About the Ondava river

Ondava rises in the Low Beskid Javorinou near the border with Poland. River flows mostly to the southeast across the eastern Slovak. The river gradually flows through geomorphological units, which are: Ondavská Vrchovina, Výchdné Beskydy, Východoslovenská pahorkatina and Východoslovenská nížina. The length of the river is about 125 km, the catchment area of the river is 3,380 km². The whole region is supplied and simultaneously drained surface water of the river Ondava.

Ondava has great hydrological importance for the region. The river supplies water to the water tank Domaša. Domaša dam captures water from the upper reaches of the river, provides potable, drinking water as well as the surrounding region. Reservoir provides significant opportunities for recreation and tourism. Below the dam Domaša, the river becomes the main source of water for irrigation in the lower lowland river to the confluence with the Ondava river and Latorica river. Ondava river is the river of life

Like any river flowing from the mountains to the vast and densely populated plains and river Ondava represents a significant flood risk for residents of the region. Risks arising mainly because of unbalanced and inappropriate conversion of land in the vast basin. This country has lost numerous hydrological and ecological functions. The country has lost an element of ecological stability which maintained a natural balance in the water cycle amont Ondava river.

In recent years, paradoxically it reflected in the loss of water in river basins. Another consequence is the rapid loss of water in the dam Domaša with serious economic and social impact. In 2011, the effects show in the collapse of recreation opportunities and the availability of water at the dam Domaša. Impacts were also reflected strong torrential rains, flooding upstream (ie. In 2010), which caused great damage and seriously affecting the whole region.

The main causes of these phenomena are: loss of ecosystem functions and self-regulatory landscape and its ability to adapt to impacts of climate change and extreme weather. Much of the country was deprived of forests and converted to agricultural land. Where such land intensively and inappropriately used, creating the necessary conditions for rapid and devastating torrential waters. Meadows, pastures and fields, but especially forests are reclaimed. The amount of purpose built forest roads. On the forest roads create heavy machinery deep erosion furrows where water accumulates torrential .. At the same time inexorably erodes the country are losing fertile land and destroying the relief of the country .. The water does not soak into the soil and does not penetrate the vegetation but soon drains. This results in a local warming of the soil surface and rapid evaporation of residual moisture in the soil.

Country is able to cope with this condition. The soil is unable to retain water naturally, allow it to leak into the soil and settle the balance of evaporation and recovery of vegetation (fytoevaporization). Gradually they remove the natural wetlands that act as natural reservoirs of surface water with a sponge effect that had an extraordinary ecosystem. This feature has been priority Biodiversity local nature .. Hydromorphology distorted the natural river network and flow, lost meanders, ponds, lateral arms, depressions. River lost the elements that slow water runoff and help retain water in the landscape ecosystem. Have the climatic features of the country which has reduced water vapor warmed (latent heat) and the country is able to absorb the impacts of climate change.

Another serious threat is the loss of territory respect local residents to their country and the water that was, is and always will be a condition of life in the region.