Lacul Bălătău

Bălătău Lake, also known as Bolătău Lake, is a natural dam lake formed in 1883 in the Nemira Mountains, Bacău County, as a result of the collapse of a slope caused by heavy rains. Located at an altitude of 532 m, 4 km from Sălătruc, the lake is part of the Nemira protected area, being classified as a natural monument.

Lake Bălătău is one of the 12 natural dam lakes in Romania, located at an altitude of 530 m, in the valley of the Izvorul Negru stream, a tributary of the Uz river. It is known locally as Ruptura Bălătăului.

The origin of the lake's name is uncertain. One theory holds that it comes from Hungarian, meaning "Lake of Bala", while another suggests it derives from Russian, meaning "swamp".

In terms of importance, Bălătău Lake is the second in Romania after Red Lake, although it is little known in the scientific literature. It was created following a landslide in 1883, caused by heavy rains that summer, blocking the course of the Izvorul Negru stream in the "Ivan's Fire Rifts" area.

Geologically, Ivan's Fire Plain is composed of sandstones and other porous layers that absorbed water from the rains of 1883, causing landslides. In 1949, the affected areas were still visible, as noted by the geographer Gheorghe I. Năstase.

The resulting lake initially had a length of 1 km, an area of ​​12 ha and a volume of 500,000 m³ of water, being a natural dam lake created by sliding strata. Comparatively, the Red Lake, formed in 1837, has an area of ​​11 ha and a volume of 600,000 m³.

In the first decades, the lake was heavily clogged due to alluvium brought by tributaries, and by the 1970s, its size had halved. However, the lake remained rich in fish, especially whiting and trout.

In the early 1980s, the lake area was 4.5 ha and the maximum depth was just over 3 m. The lake was used for trout, but the clean has eliminated the trout. Facilities for fishermen and tourists were built, but over time they deteriorated.

Attempts were made to drain the lake to recover the fish, but the dug tunnel gave way under the pressure of the water. The dam was rebuilt and the lake repopulated later.

In 1900, a forest railway was built in the valley of the Black Spring, which later became a forest road. In the early 2010s, the lake almost disappeared, leaving only a small pond.