Tsonevo Reservoir
Reservoir in Varna Province, Bulgaria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tsonevo Reservoir (Bulgarian: язовир Цонево) is a reservoir in eastern Bulgaria, located in the valley of the river Luda Kamchiya.[1] Administratively, it lies in Dalgopol Municipality of Varna Province. In 1975 it was named after the politician Georgi Traykov, a longtime leader of Bulgarian Agrarian National Union and that name remains in official use, along with Tsonevo.[2][3][4]
| Tsonevo Dam | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Язовир Цонево (Bulgarian) |
| Location | Balkan Mountains at Tsonevo |
| Coordinates | 42°59′48″N 27°24′19″E |
| Opening date | 1974 |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | earthen gravity dam |
| Height | 39 m (128 ft) |
| Length | 890 m (2,920 ft) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Tsonevo Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 330,000,000 m3 (270,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Surface area | 17.3 km2 (4,300 acres) |
Geography

The reservoir is situated at an altitude of 185 m the eastern Balkan Mountains on the boundary with the fore-Balkan hilly area. It lies along the lower course of the river Luda Kamchiya, the longest tributary of the Kamchiya. The dam wall is a kilometer west of the village of Tsonevo. It is accessible via several roads, as well as railway line No. 3 Sofia–Karlovo–Varna. Along its shores at the reservoir's tail is located the peculiar rock formation Chudnite Skali, which are a natural landmark.[5] The picturesque surroundings and forests are a popular tourist attraction, offering conditions for recreation, fishing and outdoors activities. Accommodation facilities are mainly concentrated in the adjacent villages of Tsonevo and Asparuhovo.[2][6]
Description
The reservoir was inaugurated in 1974 and has an earthen dam with a height of 39 m and crest length of 890 m. The artificial lake has a surface area of 17.3 km2 and a volume of 330 million m3; its length is 28 km.[7] It serves as a leveler of the Kamchiya Reservoir further upstream. It is utilized for small-scale electricity production and as a major supplier for irrigation and industrial water, including for the major Varna-Devnya Industrial Complex.[2][3][7][8] Although its waters are generally intended for industrial and agricultural supply, Tsonevo Reservoir is designated as an emergency source of potable water for Varna, the third largest city in Bulgaria.[8]