Vranov Dam is a Pearl of Podyjí Protected Landscape Area

History of Vranov Dam. In the past the river Dyje often caused flooding and destroyed everything that was in its way. The only solution in this situation was the construction of a dam the concrete walls of which would retain hundreds of millions of cubic metres of water, using a water element to produce electricity in a power plant.

The first idea of the Vranov Dam was born before the First World War. The son of Vranov builder Schmidt, a student of architecture in Technical University in Switzerland, with a group of classmates submitted a proposal for the construction of a dam near Vranov nad Dyjí in 1903.

The project to use water power by the construction of the dam on the Dyje was discussed by Dyje Works (Thayawerke) in 1912. However, at that time there was no money for such a courageous work (for Moravia) in Austria-Hungary. After the foundation of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918, after the agreement with Dyje Works, the state and the State and the Moravian-Silesian Land became the investor of the dam with the contribution of the joint-stock company of the West Moravian Power Plant.

In 1929, three joint-stock companies were authorized to build the Vranov Dam: the Czech-Moravian Building Company in Prague, the Lanna Company in Prague and Pittel und Brausewetter in Brno. The project, which was being supplemented with the new insights gained during the construction of large dams abroad, was developed by the Land Office in Brno.

In March 1930, the water reservoir (on the River Dyje) at Vranov nad Dyjí (the largest water-building in former Czechoslovakia) started to be built together with a new village of Bítov, two bridges and engineering structures in new Bítov under the direction of the Chief Provincial Building Councillor, Ing. Karel Navrátil. The dam, where 2,500 people were involved in the construction work, was completed in three and a half years, and in the autumn of 1933 the dam began to fill with water. It was put into operation in 1934.

The volume of water in the dam is about 150 million m³. The dam also receives water of the river Želetavka, which flows into the Dyje near the Bítov Castle. The reservoir of the dam reaches up to 1.5 km below Podhradí nad Dyjí. The total length of the lake is 30 km, the largest depth (46 m) is right next to the wall, and under the first bridge at Bítov it reaches about 30 meters. The lake has an area of 763 hectares and is situated at an altitude of 351 m above sea level.

Brilliant structure - Vranov Dam wall is built as a gravity wall made of cast concrete. The thickness of the dam is 27 m, the crown is tapering to 6 m. The length in the crown is 290 m, the height above the base 54 m. Radius of the wall curvature is 500 m. The wall was divided by two 27 m wide thickened blocks into three parts. Water flows over the bridged left and middle section down through the crown overflow. On the left bank, cascades were set up to bring water flowing from the crown overflow in the left wing of the wall to the bottling plant under the dam. The crown overflows are 122 m long and have a capacity of 580 m³/s. In the left side there are four 1600 mm discharge pipes that can drain water at 170 m³/s. On the right side of the dam there are three 2600 mm diameter pipes that bring water to the power plant built at the foot of the wall. The plant has three Francois turbines, each with a capacity of 5.44 MW with a flow rate of 15 m³/s. Vertical shafts and three passageways were built in the dam.

In 2002, localities in the Dyje River Basin were hit by the flood, which was considered an anomalous and extraordinary flood, and which is called a flood of almost 500-year-old water. Passing the Vranov Water Dam, the flood also caused damage to the surfaces of the concrete structures of the dam on the air cheek and to the guide face, the stone facing and the side retaining wall of the cascade of the safe overflow. The retaining walls of broth and waste from the hydroelectric power plant were damaged. Negative damage also arose on the construction and technological parts of the bottom outlets engine room.

These damages, along with the decision of the state enterprise to maximally ensure the protection of persons and their property, gave rise to the prompt commencement of repairs in order to keep this waterworks in good condition to ensure its safe operation. The repairs, consisting mainly of concrete structures, started in September 2003. The first repair phase of CZK 7.6 million was completed in August 2004. The second phase of the repairs is the implementation of work of considerably higher building-technical demands and financial volume. This phase of work with a financial volume of CZK 44 million should be terminated by the end of 2005 in accordance with the contract concluded with the contractor. The final stage of the repair, which is currently finalizing the project documentation and the completion of all construction modifications, is scheduled for autumn 2006.

Shipping - History

The oldest shipping operator was the Fleet Club. Ladislav Prchal operated shipping with his ship “Lada” from 1935. In 1947, the entrepreneurs united in the Dyje Spa and Fleet Club. They used to have a fleet of 8 boats, the most beautiful of which was the Steamer “Mír”, ceremoniously christened on 14 August 1949.

The steamers included also MS Morava, which was during the war imported under the name Starnberg in 1939 from Vienna. On 11 August 1946, the ship put to the dam waters. Being operated up to 1965, it belonged to one of the fastest and most beautiful Vranov ships. The “J. Máša”, later renamed the “Brno” was also put out of service. Other vessels included the express ship “Praha”, passenger ship “Hvězda” and “Znojmo”, Hungarian water buses “Dunaj”, “Dyje”, “Vranov” and “Košice”.

The longest serving ship was the "Moskva”, which after the ceremonial christening of 20 June 1981 served up to 1992. Today, being renamed “Moravia”, can be seen at the marina Na Františku in Prague: It is the most successful ship of the Prague Vltava Fleet.

Shipping – Present Days

Since June 2006, shipping has resumed. In off-season months, only sightseeing trips take place, in seasonal months also regular public transport is provided. For more details see: www.lodnidopravavranov.cz.

Vranov Dam Today

The dominant object on the Vranov Beach is also the Pedestrian Footbridge, (bridge over the “Swiss Bay”) built between 1992 and 1993, connecting the beach with the dam.

Vranov Dam currently serves not only as a significant drinking water supply but is used as a recreation and tourist resort. The lake is surrounded by forests, beaches and cottages. It is rich of extraordinary natural scenery, especially deep carved meanders, rocky walls and bizarre rock formations. The relief is covered with original deciduous stands, especially oak, oak-beech and beech, coniferous pine, spruce, larch. There is an extraordinary diversity of plant and animal species, which is typical of this area. Climate conditions are very favourable in summer, when the air temperature exceeds 30 °C and the water temperature is between 20 °C and 25 °C. The water in the lake is clean throughout the season, without anabaena. The picturesque corners of the Vranov Dam - the Moravian Adriatic (as this areas called), attract thousands of visitors both from home and abroad.