Tatra lakes

They are known for their clear waters and scenic surroundings, making them popular destinations for outdoor activities such as hiking and photography.

[1] In local vernacular, these lakes are traditionally referred to as "ponds", a term that is also reflected in various forms of literature, including scientific studies.

The Tatra lakes play an important ecological role, supporting a range of flora and fauna, some of which are unique to the region.

Morskie Oko and Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy [pl] are cirque-moraine lakes, located in deepened glacial valleys, closed by rock thresholds upon which terminal moraine ridges settled.

Such high transparency is related to the very low organic life in these lakes, the absence of plankton, and the minimal presence of suspended particles.

[2] Lower-altitude moraine ponds, like Smreczyński Staw and Toporowe Stawy, which have richer organic life, are much less transparent (around 2 meters).

High-altitude, deep, and nutrient-poor Tatra lakes, when viewed from a distance, appear sapphire blue.

Slightly lower lakes, such as Morskie Oko, appear blue with an emerald hue, while Smreczyński Staw has a brownish color.

The formation of a thermocline is related to the great depth of the lakes and the high mountain walls, which provide protection from the wind that stirs up waves.

[2] A measurement conducted on 2 August 1937 at Morskie Oko revealed that the well-mixed upper water layer, stirred by waves, was only 3 meters thick with a temperature of 12.1°C.

[1] Some experts believe that the small permanent water bodies known as Batizovské oká [pl] situated above 2,200 meters, should hold the record, but they are often omitted from most maps.

[4] In the Polish Tatra Mountains, the lowest lake is Toporowy Staw Niżni (1,089 m), and the highest is Zadni Mnichowy Stawek [pl] (2,070 m).

The largest lakes by surface area are located on the Polish side of the Tatras: Morskie Oko and Wielki Staw Polski.

[1] Tatra lakes generally have a rounded shape, with short shorelines, and deeply indented bays are rare.

[5] The shape, surface area, and depth of the lakes are continuously changing, as these bodies of water are being filled with scree from the steep slopes and sediments carried by streams flowing into them.

The current Wielka Polana Małołącka [pl] was once a large lake, which gradually filled with rock debris from the surrounding slopes.

[6][8] The duration of ice cover on Tatra lakes depends on their elevation, size, shading, and exposure.

In contrast, Toporowy Staw Wyżni [pl], located at a lower altitude, can thaw in just between 2 and 3 weeks.

This layered structure occurs because the heavy snow from the frequent Tatra snowfalls presses down on the lake’s ice cover, causing it to submerge slightly.

[2] Higher elevation lakes are poor in flora and fauna in terms of biomass, but they exhibit relatively high species diversity.

His measurements showed no inflows or outflows, debunking the then-common belief that Tatra lakes were connected to the sea.

A little later, Eugeniusz Klemens Dziewulski [pl] studied 8 lakes on the Polish (then Galician) side of the Tatras.

His research results included the water level, its temperature and color, shoreline plans, and the lake bottom's topography.

[6] In the spring of 1934, all the named permanent lakes of the Polish Tatras (40 in total) were thoroughly surveyed by the Military Geographical Institute.

[8] Since the 1960s, Tatra lakes have been studied by scientists from the Institute of Water Biology at the Polish Academy of Sciences.

[13] At the end of the 20th century, the fauna of Tatra lakes became the subject of research by the Department of Hydrobiology at the University of Warsaw.

[1] Stefan Żeromski described Smreczyński Staw in the second volume of Popioły [pl] (The Ashes), and Seweryn Goszczyński in his work Oda (Ode).

[1] Nowadays, shelters usually have sewage treatment facilities, but tourists remain a threat by throwing large amounts of trash and coins into the lakes.

Every year, divers retrieve huge amounts of garbage from the lake bottoms: pots, cans, broken chairs and tables, skis, sleds, and even baby strollers.

In the cold, oligotrophic Tatra lakes, the fauna of small animals that could serve as food for fish is very scarce.