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. From its bottom I have already pulled approximately 6 tons of garbage, 202 tires and 346 bags of waste, and I have also removed 11 illegal fishing nets and traps.

Today Drawsko looks significantly better than 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 is actively working 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 explore its underwater world, but above all to clean, 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 approximately 6 tons of garbage, 202 tires and 346 bags of waste.

In addition to this 11 removed illegal fishing nets and traps.

This is precisely 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 MASSIVE WATER BODY

Lake Drawsko is a massive water body that offers many different places to explore. Many of them can be easily accessed from the shore, and the bottom is highly varied – from sandy to silty.

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

Such a large water body needs to be traversed using a diver propulsion vehicle. Here it is actually in service of bottom cleaning.

VISIBILITY DEPENDENT ON THE SEASON

Drawsko can dramatically change its appearance depending on the season.

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

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

Winter visibility, depth approximately 8 metres. Nothing but garbage on the bottom.

UNDERWATER SPRINGS

One of the more interesting attractions of Drawsko is the 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 makes a strong impression and is one of the more interesting attractions of this body of water.

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

An underwater spring in Lake Drawsko. Next to garbage.

REMAINS FROM THE WAR

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

Among them are helmets, unexploded ordnance and other items from the wartime period.

Such findings are an interesting testament to history, but at the same time they remind us that special care must be taken while diving. War remnants can still pose a real threat.

A marked artillery shell. It was removed by sappers.

FISH STOCKS ARE NOT THE BIGGEST ATTRACTION

Despite the lake's enormous surface area fish stocks are quite poor.

Those primarily interested in observing large numbers of fish may therefore feel somewhat disappointed. However, Drawsko has many other things to offer – a vast surface area, diverse bottom topography, underwater springs, historical remnants and countless places to explore.

A huge ghost net pulled from Lake Drawsko.

THERE WAS ONCE A REAL TRAGEDY HERE

When I first dived in Lake Drawsko, I found a real tragedy.

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

That was the moment when I decided not only to document what is found under the water, but also to start taking real action.

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

SEWAGE HAS BEEN REMOVED

One of the biggest problems was sewage being dumped into the lake.

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

Today the situation in this respect is decidedly better 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 approximately 6 tonnes of wastefrom the bottom of Drawsko. Among them were found 202 tyres and 346 bags of rubbish.

This is not the result of one action. This is the outcome of many dives and successive efforts carried out over years.

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

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

POACHING

Drawsko also struggles with the problem ofpoaching.

During dives I found and removed 11 poaching nets and 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 – the 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, among others littering, poaching, sewage discharge and cyanobacteria blooms.

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

These are not roots. These are industrial waste thrown into 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, it is very important to me that I was not left alone with all of this.

Czaplinek Municipality and the mayor actively work for the lake and cooperate in solving successive problems.

It is precisely such cooperation that has made it possible to, among other things, eliminate sewage discharge and implement further activities related to cleaning the water body.

Tyres in Lake Drawsko. They are no longer there. Czaplinek Municipality has collected and disposed of all recovered waste at its own cost from the beginning.

RESIDENTS SEE THE CHANGE

I am also pleased that residents are grateful for the actions carried out on the lake.

This is important to me because cleaning Drawsko is not just about the appearance of the lake bed. It is a place used by residents, tourists, divers, anglers and everyone who wants to spend time by the water.

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

Sanitary pads and tampons recovered from Lake Drawsko. Results of sewage dumping. Fortunately, the dumping in this location has been eliminated.

DRAWSKO, GIVEN A CHANCE

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

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

However, this is not yet the end.

Lake Drawsko still needs continuous care and further action. Yet I have enormous satisfaction from how much has already been changed.

Perhaps that is precisely why the title "the most cleaned and cared for lake in Poland?" 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: