About Josefuv Dul Dam

Josefův Důl Reservoir on the Kamenice River in the Jizerské hory Mountains of northern Bohemia was completed in 1982, primarily to supply drinking water to the cities of Liberec and Jablonec nad Nisou. The rockfill dam stands 44 metres tall and holds 24 million cubic metres. The reservoir occupies a densely forested valley in the Jizerské hory Protected Landscape Area — a region renowned for its extensive spruce forests, peat bogs, and high annual rainfall, making it one of the wettest landscapes in the Czech Republic. The catchment receives over 1,200 millimetres of precipitation per year, ensuring reliable water yields even in dry summers. The reservoir played a significant role during the acid rain crisis of the 1970s and 1980s, when widespread forest dieback threatened to degrade water quality. Today, following extensive forest regeneration and liming of acidified soils, the watershed is recovering and water quality at Josefův Důl meets the highest European standards.