Odlezly (Potvorov) Lake

The lake can be reached by car or on foot from nearby Odlezly. The lake lies in the valley of the Mladotický Brook. Its uniqueness lies in the way the lake was created. Apart from the mountain glacial lakes, we have only lakes formed as dead river arms or so-called oxbow lakes (billabongs). However, Odlezly Lake was created in recent times, namely because of a natural disaster at the end of the 19th century. It is a type of lake that was formed by a landslide dam.

After heavy rainfall, the western slope of Potvorov hill collapsed between May 25 and 28, 1872. This was helped by the fact that the hill was disturbed by several quarries and a cut of the original railway line. Huge masses of rock formed a dam on the Mladotický Brook, behind which water accumulated and the lake was ready within a few months. Today it is up to 8 metres deep and the water surface covers 5.83 hectares.

A national monument that has even changed the railway line

The uniqueness and natural scientific value of this type of lake lies in the fact that its formation is only recent and in an area that is geologically very stable. Similar lakes can be found in less stable mountain ranges such as the Alps, Himalayas or Carpathians. This importance has also led to the legal protection of the lake. The lake has been protected since 1975 and has now even been declared a national natural monument with an overall area of 68.3 hectares.

The creation of the lake had another impact. A railway line that was just being built was destroyed in a landslide and had to be relocated to the other side of the valley above the water level of the newly created lake. If you travel from Pilsen towards Žatec (Saaz), this railway will be your natural choice.