Lake Javornik (Javorniški Rovt)
A small mountain reservoir at 939 m above Jesenice, Lake Javornik was created by damming the Javornik stream in 1901 to power the Javornik ironworks, and the 1908 hydropower station beside it is a technical monument. The lake is only about 150 × 50 m and mostly 3 m deep, but its water stays crystal clear and close to 5 °C all year. The 2012 PAS sheet describes lively shallows where a water chute enters at the north-east end, with trout waiting for food and a sandy hillock in mid-lake. The quieter western half is more overgrown, and the biggest trout hang around the sluice in the deepest spot.
Facts
- Region: Slovenia – Lakes, Rivers & Caves
- Area: Julian Alps & Gorenjska (Bohinj, Bled)
- Depth: 0–3.6 m
- Level: intermediate
- Current: low
- Type: bay, night
- Coordinates: 46.45769, 14.10224
- Highlights: trout of all sizes, large trout at the sluice in the deepest part, dense, colourful water plants, sandy mound washed in by the water chute, crystal-clear water around 5 °C all year, historic 1908 Javorniški Rovt hydropower plant (technical monument), ducks
- Tips: Legal status: the lake belongs to the historic Javorniški Rovt hydropower/water-intake system; no owner or operator rules on diving were found, and the PAS sheet dates from 2012. Park at Dom Trilobit (gravel road from Javorniški Rovt) or at the small car park in the forest beyond. The easiest entry is the jetty below the house; the reinforced bank works almost anywhere except the dam at the south-western end. Expect high air consumption in 5 °C water – thick gloves and a drysuit or extra layer are advised, and night dives only in a warm suit. Keep clear of the sluice and stay off the bottom to protect visibility. Information is from the 2012 sheet; the lake is part of a working water-supply/hydropower system, so check locally before diving.