Lake Drawsko – the most cleaned and cared-for lake in Poland

Lake Drawsko – the most cleaned and cared-for lake in Poland

Lake Drawsko is one of the largest and deepest lakes in Poland, but for me above all one of the most important water bodies that has remained under my constant care for years. I have already pulled from its bottom approximately 6 tons of waste, 196 tyres and 327 bags of waste, and I have also removed 8 poaching nets and traps.

Today Drawsko looks decidedly better than it did when I first started diving here regularly. This is the result of many actions, reports, cleanups, but also cooperation with Czaplinek Municipality and the Mayor, who actively works for the benefit of the lake.

A LAKE UNDER MY CONSTANT CARE

Drawsko is one of the water bodies I return to regularly. Not only to dive and discover its underwater world, but above all to clean up, remove hazards and respond to problems I find underwater.

Over the years, a huge amount of waste has accumulated. In total, I have already pulled out approximately 6 tons of waste, 196 tyres and 327 bags of waste.

To this is added 8 removed poaching nets and traps.

This is exactly why I wonder whether Lake Drawsko might be the most cleaned and cared-for lake in Poland.

The result of one of the cleanups sponsored by Santi Diving.

A VAST WATER BODY

Lake Drawsko is a vast water body that offers many different places to explore. Many of them can be comfortably entered from the shore, and the bottom is highly varied – from sandy to muddy.

With such a large surface area, it really takes many dives to get to know the lake well. Each subsequent dive can bring new discoveries and reveal a completely different fragment of the underwater world.

Such a vast water body must be traversed using an underwater scooter. Here, in fact, in service of cleaning the bottom.

VISIBILITY DEPENDENT ON THE SEASON

Drawsko can change its appearance dramatically depending on the season.

In winter visibility can be very good, whereas in summer it often drops to almost zero. That's a huge difference, especially during dives related to searching for and removing waste.

That's why the best conditions for thoroughly exploring the bottom often appear precisely in winter.

Winter visibility, depth approximately 8 metres. Only waste on the bottom.

UNDERWATER SPRINGS

One of the more interesting attractions of Lake Drawsko is underwater springs that feed the lake.

Crystal clear and very cold water flows from them crystal clear and very cold water. Observing these places while diving is very impressive and is one of the more interesting attractions of this body of water.

This is yet another example of how many interesting things can be found beneath the surface of the lake that are completely invisible from the shore.

Underwater spring of Lake Drawsko. Next to garbage.

REMNANTS OF THE WAR

On the bottom of Lake Drawsko you can also come across remnants related to World War II.

Among them are, for example helmets, unexploded ordnance and other items from the war period.

Such finds are interesting historical evidence, but at the same time they remind us that special care must be taken while diving. War remnants can still pose a real threat.

Marked artillery shell. Sappers removed it.

FISH STOCK IS NOT THE BIGGEST ATTRACTION

Despite the lake's huge surface area the fish stock is quite poor.

People focused primarily on observing large numbers of fish may feel somewhat disappointed. However, Drawsko has many other things to offer – a huge surface area, varied bottom, underwater springs, historical remnants and countless places to explore.

Enormous ghost net pulled from Lake Drawsko.

THERE WAS REAL DRAMA HERE ONCE

When I first dived in Lake Drawsko, I found real drama.

The bottom was full of garbage, and several sewage pipes led into the lake.

It was at that moment that I decided not only to document what is beneath the water, but also to take real action.

One of the better collections - 33 tyres, a television, a sink, 5 bags of garbage.

SEWAGE WAS REMOVED

One of the biggest problems was sewage discharge into the lake.

Following my reports, it was possible to have them removed. This was a huge change, because there's no point in endlessly cleaning the bottom if contamination keeps entering the water all the time.

Today the situation is definitely better in this regard than when I started.

One of the pipes through which sewage flowed. We managed to capture it live.

6 TONS OF GARBAGE FROM THE BOTTOM

The next stage was systematic cleaning of the lake.

I have already pulled out from the bottom of Drawsko approximately 6 tons of waste. Among them were found 196 tyres and 327 bags of rubbish.

This is not the result of a single action. This is the outcome of many dives and numerous activities carried out over years.

Each subsequent entry into the water allowed me to remove further waste and gradually improve the condition of the lake bottom.

My cleaning efforts over 1.5 years were purely voluntary. Subsequently, Gmina Czaplinek obtained co-financing from WFOŚ for lake cleaning.

POACHING

Drawsko also struggles with the problem ofpoaching.

During dives I found and removed 8 nets and poaching traps.

Such tools pose a threat to fish and other animals, and those underwater can also be dangerous for divers.

One of the poaching traps pulled from the lake - a so-called drum trap.

THE LAKE STILL HAS ITS PROBLEMS

Despite the enormous improvement in the situation Drawsko still requires care.

The problems of this lake include pollution, poaching, sewage discharges and algal blooms.

Not everything can be fixed during a few campaigns. With such a large body of water, continuous monitoring, consistency and further action are necessary.

These are not roots. These are industrial waste dumped in the lake. Plastics and synthetic materials resembling cables. Remnants from a furniture manufacturing plant that once existed at this location.

COOPERATION WITH THE MUNICIPALITY

In the case of Drawsko, what is very important to me is that I was not left alone with all of this.

Gmina Czaplinek and the mayor actively work for the lake and cooperate in solving subsequent problems.

It is precisely such cooperation that made it possible to achieve, among other things, the elimination of sewage discharges and the implementation of further actions related to cleaning the water body.

Tyres in Lake Drawsko. They are no longer there. Gmina Czaplinek has been collecting and disposing of the retrieved waste at its own expense from the start.

RESIDENTS SEE THE CHANGE

I am also pleased that residents are grateful for the work being done on the lake.

This is important to me, because cleaning Drawsko is not just a matter of how the bottom looks. It is a place used by residents, tourists, divers, fishermen and everyone who wants to spend time by the water.

If thanks to further dives the lake is cleaner and safer, then it means this work makes sense.

Sanitary pads and tampons retrieved from Lake Drawsko. The effects of sewage dumping. Fortunately, the dumping at this location has been eliminated.

DRAWSKO, GIVEN A CHANCE

Today Drawsko is in a significantly better condition than when I first saw it underwater.

Sewage dumping has been removed, enormous amounts of waste have disappeared from the bottom, poaching nets and traps have been eliminated, and new issues are being noticed and reported.

However, this is not the end.

Lake Drawsko still needs constant care and further action. I am, however, enormously satisfied with how much has already been changed.

Perhaps that is why the title "Poland's most cleaned and cared-for lake?" is not an exaggeration at all. At least in my diving history and efforts for Polish waters, Drawsko definitely holds a unique place.

Materials from Lake Drawsko: