About Turawa Dam

The Turawa reservoir on the Mała Panew river in Opole Silesia holds 92.6 million cubic metres and was completed in 1938 under the German administrative authorities of Upper Silesia — one of the first large reservoirs built in what is today Polish territory. The 23-metre earth embankment dam near Turawa in Opolskie province creates a broad, shallow reservoir covering approximately 2,200 hectares in the Silesian Lowland forest landscape. The reservoir was originally built for flood control on the Mała Panew and Odra rivers, and for water supply to the Upper Silesian industrial district. Today it serves primarily as a recreational reservoir and flood buffer. The Turawa lake complex is one of the most popular recreation destinations in Opolskie province, with three beach areas, extensive sailing and rowing infrastructure, camping sites, and surrounding forests ideal for cycling and walking. The water body is separated into two basins by a causeway and bridge: the larger main reservoir and the smaller Mały Turawa. The shallow, warm water of the main reservoir is highly eutrophic and subject to annual cyanobacterial blooms that restrict bathing during peak summer weeks. The surrounding Turawa forest park, covering over 5,000 hectares of Scots pine and oak, provides habitat for red deer, wild boar, and breeding ospreys.