The Importance and Functions of Riparian Stands of the Recreational Water Reservoir Počúvadlo in Štiavnické Vrchy

Abstract

The recreational water reservoir Počúvadlo, which was built in the years 1775-1779, is located in the Štiavnické vrchy Protected Landscape Area near the town of Banská Štiavnica. This water reservoir, as a part of the historical mining water management system, is the most visited and used for recreation out of the 26 preserved reservoirs in the vicinity of Banská Štiavnica. Počúvadlo water reservoir covers an area of 12.13 hectares and is a popular summer and winter recreation center and the venue for various cultural and sports events in this region. An important part of the Počúvadlo water reservoir are the riparian stands, which have several functions. These functions are mainly related to the protection of banks from erosion (abrasion), create suitable space and conditions for recreation and relaxation, affect the water quality in the reservoir, etc. In 1993, town Banská Štiavnica, together with the technical monuments in the vicinity (including the unique water management system of water reservoirs), was entered into the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List.

Public recreation and landscape protection - with environment hand in hand? Proceedings of the 14th Conference.

“…In places with a steep bank slopes with significant abrasion and poor access to water, the anti-erosion (anti-abrasion) function of the riparian stands should be a priority. The issue of the anti-erosion function of riparian vegetation has been addressed by several authors (Simon, Collison 2002, Šlezingr 2011, Jakubisová 2011.…”