The largest lake in Poland is Lake Śniardwy. However, it does not always have to be this way. In a few dozen years we will have a change on the list of the largest water reservoirs. Lake Bełchatowskie (still a working name) will be the deepest lake in Poland, the fifth in terms of water surface and the largest in terms of water capacity. Everything indicates that it will be a great tourist attraction.
Materials of PGE Górnictwo i Energetyka Konwencjonalna Spółka Akcyjna:
When lignite mining ends in the largest Polish opencast mine, huge lakes will be created on its territory. And although the first tourists will be able to use the water attractions only in several dozen years, preparations for the construction of a sports and recreation complex have already started and are a continuation of the reclamation and revitalization process of post-mining areas, which has been carried out for many years.
Almost 3,900 hectares – this is the surface of the water surface of two reservoirs, which will be built around 2050 in the currently exploited workings of Bełchatów and Szczerców. They can hold up to 3 billion cubic meters of water. But the greatest impression is their maximum depth – it will be over 200 meters. This means that Bełchatów lakes will be almost twice as deep as Hańcza, the deepest lake in Poland.
However, in order to create lakes, not only patience is needed, but also a lot of work, because it is not enough to simply flood the excavations with water. One of the first tasks will be to shallow the excavation and ensure the stability of the slopes. An important element will be the profiling of the slopes, both in the above-water and underwater parts, as well as their biological housing.
Work currently underway on the internal dump of the Bełchatów Field consists in the displacement of huge amounts of overburden masses in order to give the desired shape to the bottom and slopes of the target reservoirs. The next stage will be filling the workings with water.
The tanks will be filled with water after 2050, when all mining works preparing the pit for filling with water will be completed in the Szczerców Field. The water level will be gradually raised simultaneously in the Bełchatów and Szczerców Fields. Refilling with deep and surface waters will take approximately 20 years.
But it is worth waiting, because a swimming area with a beach is just one of the many attractions that will be waiting for tourists who want to visit the vicinity of Bełchatów.
In a few dozen years, the post-mining areas will also become a paradise for lovers of extreme experiences. In the sports center you will be able to ski, play golf, ride a bike, and try your hand at the climbing garden. An autodrome, a hippodrome and a park complex are also to be built here. The brown coal mining museum, created from a part of the technical back-up area, will also be a real treat. There you will be able to take a close look at the huge machines and devices used to exploit lignite.
