Hydro 2003 - Croatia
This tour gave participants the chance to see four important hydro facilities: the Peru´ca dam and powerplant; the 240 MW Orlovac plant now being refurbished; Jaruga, the country's oldest small hydro plant, in the Krka national park, and Velebit, a major pumped-storage facility. The journey will include some spectacular landscapes typical of this karstic region, as well as some picturesque small medieval towns.
Friday 7 November
Early departure from Cavtat, for a drive by coach along the coast north towards Split, with some stops en route.
Visit to the 64.5 m-high Peru´ca rockfill dam and powerplant on the Cetina river. Ten years ago, during hostilities in the region, this dam and hydro plant were badly damaged, and its gateworks destroyed. A detailed analysis was done by Croatian specialists on the behaviour of the dam body following severe blasting.
The dam was repaired in 1992/93 and heightened by 1.7 m. The powerplant was fully repaired and modernized. The control system is being replaced now, and the two 21.3 MW Francis units and synchronous generators are planned to be uprated shortly (contracts were awarded at the end of 2002). Lunch will be hosted by Hrvatska Elektroprivreda.
Departure around 16.00 hrs for the 240 MW Orlovac plant, on the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina, where refurbishment work is under way to replace the governing and control system.
On to Split, with a chance for an optional evening sightseeing walk in the old town.
Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Split.
Saturday 8 November
Drive by coach to the Krka national park (about 1.5 hours). On the way there will be a short stop at the small scenic town of Trogir, located on a tiny peninsula, and connected to the island of Ciovo by a draw-bridge. Trogir has many historical monuments, medieval buildings, a cylindrical fortress from the renaissance period, a romanesque cathedral, and a church reported to be the oldest ecclesiastical building.
Visit to the Krka National Park , a vast area of lakes, cascades and numerous waterfalls extending along the middle and lower course of the Krka river. The river, in a karstic area, is outstanding for its hydrological and geomorphological characteristics. The trip includes a visit to the Jaruga small hydro plant, within the national park; constructed in 1895, it is the oldest hydro plant in Croatia and is still in operation.
Dinner and overnight stay in Zadar (Hotel Kolovare), the main city of the northern coast of Dalmatia.
Sunday 9 November
The tour will continue by coach to Velebit, the region of the most remarkable Croatian mountain range, described as a treasury for botanists
and geomorphologists. In 1978 the
area gained scientific recognition internationally, when it was included in UNESCO's charter of international areas important for the biosphere. The Velebit area is also known for its landscape of limestone outcrops, often having bizarre formations.
There will be a technical visit to the Velebit pumped-storage station, which harnesses the waters of the Ricica, Opsenica, Otuca and Krivak streams. The upper reservoir is on the Gracacka Visoravan plateau, in the southeast of the Lika region. The Velebit powerhouse is at el. 11 m on the Zrmanja river. Two single-stage reversible units (each rated at 138 MW in the generating mode) operate with a design head of 517 m.
In the afternoon there will be a visit to the world-famous Plitvice National Park, where 16 lakes are interlinked with waterfalls; rock formations are travertine, and so characteristic of karstic hydrography.
Departure by coach to Croatia's elegant capital city, Zagreb, where the overnight stay will be at Hotel Panorama
Monday 10 November
Optional city tour (can be arranged directly with Tour Guide), or transfer directly to the international airport.