Morphology in Nature Park Rusenski Lom and Kalimok-Brashlen Protected area

The river of Rusenski Lom is the last right tributary of Danube. The specifics of Rusenski Lom has substantial influence over quality, contents and quantity of the waters in the lower stream of Danube. The human intervention has influenced the natural process in the river. There have been built 2 dams along the river of Rusenski Lom and its tributaries. They prevent infusion of large water amounts into Danube and change its waters. For correcting water flow there have been built many dykes along Rusenski Lom. On the mouth of the river there is built the Ruse Shipyard.

The Bulgarian bank of Danube from Ruse to Silistra is significantly higher than Romanian one. In the 50’s, there have been built dykes in order to prevent flooding from Danube. Thusthe natural marshes - a large part of the bank - are changed. From Ruse to Silistra there have been many direct links to the river. They functioned as reservoirs, fish spawn areas and nesting places for waterfowl birds.

Having cut the direct link to Danube there had been negative impact on other protected areas such as marshes near the village of Garvan and Malak Preslavets. The worst impact there had been on the environmental condition of the sustained reserve Srebarna. The lack of Danube water flow has led to piling biomass of reed thus changing the water quality, leading to ecological problems to the fish fauna and to the bird species of the wetland.

In 2009 there has started restoration of the wetland Kalimok-Brashlen. There have been built special infrastructure for water flow control in the wetland.

A large part of Bulgarian islands are used for forestry enterprises. They have been turned into poplar plantations – entirely changing the natural character of the habitats. However the small islands are real oasis of the wild nature. There could be found colonies of Herons (Ardea) and they are preferred nesting place for the White-tailed eagle.

The changes of the river water levels depend on controlled facilities built before Bulgarian border but the natural changes of the river as a living organism continue.