Pastvina dam
The Pastviny dam in the village of Pastviny, in the foothills of the Orlické Mountains, was built in 1933–1938 and is fed by the Divoká Orlice River. A reinforced concrete viaduct connects Žamberk and Králíky. The dam produces electricity, protects against floods and is used for recreation. The power plant was modernized in 2000–2006. The dam was reconstructed from June 2021 to November 2022.


The Pastviny dam is located in the small village of Pastviny, which lies in the picturesque foothills of the Orlické Mountains, approximately 7 kilometers east of the city of Žamberk. This dam is an impressive engineering work, the construction of which took place between 1933 and 1938. The main source of water for the reservoir is the Divoká Orlice River, which is characterized in this region by its wildness and picturesque valley.
The construction of the dam had a significant impact on the surrounding area, as a total of 74 houses, including residential buildings, shops and a school, which stood in the areas where the planned flooding was planned, had to be demolished during this event. A key part of the dam structure is a reinforced concrete viaduct with two arches, which spans the water area and serves as an important road link between the cities of Žamberk and Králíky.
The total cost of building the Pastviny dam reached the significant sum of 40 million crowns at that time, which reflects the scale and technical complexity of the project. In the following decades, the dam was gradually modernized, and between 2000 and 2006, an extensive renovation of the power plant's internal equipment and its control system was carried out, which improved its efficiency and reliability.
In 2021, another major reconstruction of the dam's dam crown was announced, which was planned for the period from June 2021 to November 2022. This renovation included not only ensuring the stability of the dam, but also modernizing the surrounding infrastructure, including roads and sidewalks.
The Pastviny Dam is not only a technical and engineering marvel, but also an important source for generating electricity. The power plant located on the dam uses flowing water to drive turbines that generate clean energy for the surrounding region. Furthermore, the dam serves to regulate the flow of the river, thereby protecting the surrounding areas from floods, and is also a popular place for recreation and tourism. The largest bay of the dam is Studenecká zátoka, which is a popular destination for visitors due to its beautiful nature and the possibilities of water activities.
The history of the Pastviny dam is inextricably linked to the history of the region and testifies to the ability of man to adapt natural resources to the needs of society. Today, the Pastviny reservoir is not only a technological and economic pillar, but also an important symbol of environmental protection and sustainable development, which seeks to harmonize human activities with nature.