Łąka Reservoir

The Łąka Reservoir, also called Lake Łąka, is an artificial reservoir on the Pszczynka river, north of Lake Goczałkowice, in Pszczyna municipality. Its banks serve as a recreational area.

Why it was built

The rapid growth of the Rybnik Coal Area in the 1960s and 1970s created a need for industrial water for the mines. Until then it had been drawn from Lake Goczałkowice, which was intended mainly for municipal use. The decision to build was taken in 1977, the dam on the Pszczynka was raised north of the village of Łąka, and construction was completed in 1986 (the reservoir is listed with the date 1987). As a result the mines stopped taking about 54,000 m³ of water a day from Goczałkowice.

Reservoir parameters

The reservoir is up to 5.5 km long, including the backwater, and 700-1000 m wide. At maximum water level it covers 3.53 km², holds 11.2 million m³ of water and is about 2.5 m deep on average. In the backwater section two additional reservoirs were built, with a combined area of about 60 ha.

Its tasks include reducing flood risk in the Pszczynka valley, evening out flows, supplying industrial water and providing conditions for recreation and leisure.

Practical information

• Location: near the villages of Łąka and Brzeźce, Pszczyna municipality.
• For the rules on access to the banks and use of the reservoir (swimming, angling), check with the reservoir's manager or Pszczyna municipality.
• In Pszczyna, about 5 km away, stands Pszczyna Castle.