About Studen Kladenets Dam

Studen Kladenets Reservoir is the second dam in the Arda River cascade in southern Bulgaria, located between Kardzhali upstream and Ivaylovgrad downstream in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains. Completed in 1954, it has a storage capacity of 387.8 MCM. The reservoir occupies a deep, narrow gorge where the Arda has cut through ancient metamorphic and volcanic rocks, creating a sinuous water body with steeply forested banks. Its primary function is hydropower generation through the Studen Kladenets power station, which exploits the head difference between the regulated storage and the turbine outlet at a lower elevation. The reservoir also provides regulating storage for downstream irrigation withdrawals along the lower Arda in the Haskovo and Kardzhali regions. The Eastern Rhodope climate is warm and semi-arid; summer evaporation is a significant factor in the reservoir's seasonal water balance, and inflows are most reliable in winter and spring. The reservoir area is notable for its rich Thracian archaeological heritage — several ancient Thracian cult sites and rock sanctuaries are visible along the reservoir's shores. The surrounding Eastern Rhodopes are one of the most important zones in Europe for vulture conservation, with griffon, black, and Egyptian vultures nesting on the rocky cliffs above the water.