Zelenci Springs is a nature reserve near the town of Kranjska Gora, in the far northwestern corner of Slovenia. It is the source of the Sava Dolinka, a tributary of the Danube.
At Zelenci Springs, water from underground Nadiža Creek (originating in the Planica) re-emerges through the porous bottom of a 2 m deep lake, whose waters are noted for their deep, brilliant green. The spring and its surrounding area are named after this colour ( Zelenci is a deadjectival plural noun from Slovene zelen 'green'.)
Geology
The Upper Sava Valley is the result of action by the
Planica glacier, creeping from below Mount Jalovec, the Ponce Range, and
Mojstrovka. The area contains many lake sediments, suggesting that Zelenci Springs is a remnant of the once much larger
Lake Koren, created by the retreat of the glacier, which carried along much debris. In retreat, the bulk of it was deposited at what is now
Podkoren, damming the
Sava with the
Wurzenpass, which hemmed in glacial melt and formed an extensive lake. The Sava then tunneled through this natural dam, lowering the water level of Lake Koren until only Zelenci Springs and its surrounding wetlands were left.
Zelenci Springs is considered the beginning of the longer of the two sources of the Sava, the longest river at 221 km.
The porous chalk of the Zelenci Springs lake bed allows the constant upwelling of groundwater in the form of tiny jets, a phenomenon unique in Slovenia.
The lake formed by the springs has a constant year-round temperature of 5 to 6 °C. From the lake, the water flows into a stream, which empties eastward into the shallow Blata Marsh, which is 200 m wide and 1 km long. The actual riverbed of the Sava Dolinka does not begin until after this, at Podkoren beside the slopes of Vitranc.
History
Zelenci Springs was declared a
nature reserve in 1992, both for its
geological interest and as home to numerous endangered animal and plant species. The area of the nature reserve is 47
hectare.
The maintained trails feature informational signage, as well as viewing bridges and an observation tower.
The natural environment, multiple springs and emerald-green lake also drew the attention of the painter Ladislau Benesch (1845–1922).
Sir Humphry Davy, the Cornwall naturalist and a visitor to the area in the 19th century, wrote of it:[Davy, Humphry. 1839. The Collected Works of Sir Humphry Davy, vol. 1. Memoirs of His Life. London: Smith, Elder and Co. Cornhill, p. 389.]
Flora
The surroundings of the spring are hospitable to plant life adapted to
riparian zone:
carex,
alder, and
, and an assortment of flowering plants:
-
Bogbean ( Menyanthes trifoliata)
-
Bog cotton ( Eriophorum angustifolium)
-
Marsh arrowgrass ( Triglochin palustris)
-
Marsh lousewort ( Pedicularis)
-
Water crowfoot ( Ranunculus)
Fauna
In addition to
trout, which inhabit the lakes and feed on
mayfly (
Ephemeroptera) and
stonefly (
Plecoptera)
, the area has several endangered species on the Red List of Endangered Animal Species of Slovenia:
-
Common rosefinch ( Carpodacus erythrinus)
-
Whiskered bat ( Myotis mystacinus)
-
Viviparous lizard ( Lacerta vivipara)
-
European adder ( Vipera berus)
-
Sand lizard ( Sand liward)
Sources
-
Decree on Declaration of Zelenci Springs as a Nature Reserve, Official Gazette nos. 53/92, 17/94, Official Gazette of Upper Carniola, no. 32/96 (Odlok o razglasitvi Zelencev za naravni rezervat, Uradni list št. 53/92, 17/94, Uradni vestnik Gorenjske, št. 32/96)
-
Sinfo (Jan 2006) http://www.ukom.gov.si/fileadmin/ukom.gov.si/pageuploads/Sinfo/2006-januar.pdf
External links
