Dalmatia has numerous
karst "beauties", rivers that flow into the sea from the mountain hinterland,
but the Krka has the greatest natural and
scenic importance. A deep gorge and seven systems of travertine or tufa cascades form
flowing lakes leaving no one indifferent, and experts talk about the great scientific
value of the river and its surroundings. The first proposal to proclaim this area a
national park came on the eve of the Second Worl War, but the war made it impossible. In
1948 one of the first pieces of nature-protection legislation covered the course of the
Krka from Bilusic-buk (the first cascade system) to Skradinski buk (the last cascade
system). Somewhat later the endemic trout that lives in the Krka was protected. However,
there were parallel plans to build several hydroelecrtic power stations on the river which
would have taken water from the cascades, so a higher form of protection, the proclamation
of a national park, was not enacted and the opposing sides engaged in longlasting furious
polemics. Finally they reached a compromise. Hydroenergy was giver precedence in the upper
course, in the middle and lower course arguments for the national park prevailed, which
was proclaimed by the Sabor in 1985. If a new power plant is
not built in the upper course for any reason, and if an agreement is reached about the
work regime of the existing one (if the cascade systems in the upper course get sufficient
amounts of water), then the national park could be extended for a further 20 kilometres
upriver, as far as Knin.
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About two thirds of the rivercourse are part of the existing
national park, which includes most of the river lakes and the two richest cascade system
(Roski slap and Skradinski buk). Downriver from Skradinski buk the Krka flows at sea level
and sea water comes right up to the cascades. If this is our criterion, then the Krka is
52 kilometres long (its fresh-water course). Most authors add to this the rivercourse
flooded by the sea right down to Sibenik, making the river 72 kilometres. This lowest
aquatorium runs partly through a gorge, partly through a flooded karst polje today called
Lake Prokljan. Because of its biological features and interest (biocenosis of brackish
water) it, too, has been included in the boundaries of the national park, although the
landscape downriver from Skradin cannot be compared to that above it. The national park
starts at the line joining the medieval fortifications Trosenj-grad and Necven - grad and
ends at the bridge in Sibenik. It has an area of 142.2 square kilometres, 25.6 square
kilometres of which are water surface.
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The Krka cascades were formed in the same way as those
in the Plitvice Lakes (we described the process there), but here the amount of water is
incomparably greater. An annual average of 55 cubic metres a second flows down Skradinski
buk, and after strong rain this amount increases up to 300 cubic metres a second.
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| Fauna Biological research increased after the national park was proclaimed, and
although a lot more remains to be done, we can already say that the fauna here is
exceptionally rich and interesting. This is especially true of fish, birds, amphibians and
reptiles. Newer ichtiological research established 17 fish species from 6 families in the
fresh-water river course. Seven of them are endemics of the Adriatic region, and one
species of trout lives only in the Krka. Literature shows that there many be 8 more
species of fresh-water fish, and several more endemics. This makes the Krka one of the
most interesting European rivers in number of species and endemics. |
| Visovac
Visovac islet is a particular jewel of the national park. A
green park in a blue lake, just over 1 hectare of area, with a church and a monastery
whose beginnings go back to the fourteenth century. The monastery houses a rich museum and
art collection (including 620 Turkish documents), and twice a year (on 2 and 15 August) it
is a pilgrimage centre. Anyone who has walked through the burning Dalmatian rockland for
even a short time in summer must find Visovac a miracle.
Almost the same can be said of the Krka as a whole. A turquoise mirage in the surrounding
semideserted landscape! |
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