Veliko Blato

Veliko Blato (Serbian: Велико Блато) is a lake in Krnjača,[1] an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, Serbia.

The lake is located in the northern section of Krnjača, 10 km (6.2 mi)[1] north of downtown Belgrade.

It is the largest body of water in the Pančevački Rit, though it is shallow, as the maximum depth is only 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in).

The area of the entire protected zone which surrounds the lake, and includes four fish ponds to the north, is 3 km2 (1.2 sq mi).

Since 1865, when Josif Pančić found the first specimen, 30 species of orchids have been registered on the territory of the City of Belgrade.

Other birds include Eurasian coot, great cormorant, pygmy cormorant, Caspian gull, black-headed gull, diving duck, common pochard, mallard, tufted duck.

It was the result of the fecal wastewater being poured in the Sebeš stream at the Knez Petrol industrial complex.

It was the largest fish kill, though smaller ones were reported earlier: the industrial complex is used by numerous chemical and oil facilities, and the wastewaters are regularly being poured into the Sebeš.

The Bajbok channel used to drain Sebeš' flow into the Jojkićev Dunavac, the ending section of the Vizelj stream, but was partially filled in the early 2010s.

Operating in the fishponds of Veliko Blato, they are described as the Bond-like villains, with wetsuits, night vision goggles, ready vehicles, and are capable of stealing tons of fish.

Veliko Blato is not suitable for swimming and bathing due to the large quantities of silt in it.

Marsh helleborine
Aerial view of Borča with heart-shaped Veliko Blato in the distance