Have you ever visited the intermittent natural wonder – Lake Cerknica? Perhaps you’ve seen it from the Witches’ Mountain, Slivnica? But have you ever seen it from Earth’s orbit, where satellites circle above?
As part of the LIFE TRSCA project, we will obtain four satellite images of Lake Cerknica each year. These images will help us better understand water level changes and monitor land use. Additionally, they will enable remote analysis of reedbed vitality, contributing to more effective conservation of this unique part of the world.
The image below shows Lake Cerknica, captured on March 30, 2025, when the water level at the Dolenje Jezero measuring station reached approximately 434 cm.
Can you recognize the prominent parts of Lake Cerknica in the image?
Goričica
Goričica is a forested hill that becomes an island when the lake is full. Stone artifacts from the Neolithic period have been discovered on its slopes, indicating the existence of a prehistoric settlement. Visitors can walk along Slovenia’s oldest beekeeping educational trail, which was renovated in 2024 by the Cerknica Beekeepers’ Association. As part of the LIFE TRŠCA project, demonstration plots have been set up to document the vegetation of Lake Cerknica.
Benetek
Benetek is an area that mostly remains above the water surface even during high water levels. However, its soil remains heavily soaked even in the driest periods, making mowing with tractors difficult. This is due to its location on slightly higher terrain. The area is densely covered with tufts of blue sedge and other plants that mostly stay above the water, providing an important habitat for nesting birds—safe from land predators—and shelter for various organisms. Due to its remote location and unique character, it remains a true research enigma.
Meanders of Stržen
Stržen is the main watercourse of Lake Cerknica. Between 1844 and 1958, land reclamation projects straightened its course into channels, leaving the old meanders as oxbow lakes. As part of the LIFE STRŽEN project, we restored the original meandering shape of the riverbed in the area of Beli Ključi, extending its course by 1.5 km and restoring the lake’s characteristic appearance from before human intervention. This has improved living conditions for aquatic organisms and slowed the outflow of water from the lake.
Drvošec
Drvošec is a forested peninsula in the western part of Lake Cerknica, surrounded by Zadnji Kraj to the south and Trščenke to the north. It is home to the award-winning Drvošec thematic trail, one of the most beautiful educational trails in the Notranjska Regional Park. Visitors can observe numerous bird species from viewing platforms and an observation tower. The peninsula also features two small ponds—Pocinov and Godešev Laz—where visitors may encounter the great crested newt and other amphibians. The pond at Godešev Laz is also the only known habitat of the endemic fairy shrimp on the northern side of the Javorniki hills.
Jamski zaliv
Jamski Zaliv is an area of sinkhole caves, swallow holes, and other underground water drainage outlets in the northwestern part of the Cerknica plain. It is characterized by numerous cave entrances in rocky slopes, leading into an underground karst world where lake water drains during dry periods towards Rakov Škocjan.
The best way to explore Jamski Zaliv is by canoe, provided the water level allows it. As part of the Guided experiences, you can join experienced guides on an unforgettable adventure, discovering the hidden corners of this karst phenomenon firsthand.
