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Plitvice lakes - the world known karst geomorphological phenomena

Karst areas are usually considered as inhospitable, dry areas. Water in karst regions is quickly drained and mostly found underground. However, Plitvice lakes, the world renowned jewel of Croatian karst seem to defy those natural laws and are one of the most beautiful water oases in the dry Dinaric region. Plitvice lakes became a national park on 8th of April 1949, covering an area of 192 km2. They were included on UNESCO World heritage list in 1979, acknowledging the uniqueness and importance of this phenomenon. In 1997 the area of the National park was expanded and now it covers a surface of 295 km2. The area of the National park is composed of carbonate rocks from the Mesozoic era, and according to its lithological characteristics several distinct areas with different hydrogeologic and geomorphologic characteristic can be isolated. Out of 16 Plitvice lakes which stretch from south to north, 12 belong to the group of Upper lakes and 4 to the group of downstream Lower lakes. The most characteristic phenomenon of Plitvice lakes and the reason of their existence is the process of travertine formation. There are many different factors, conditions and processes which facilitated in the formation of this world renowned phenomenon. A short, simplified overview will be given here.

Plitvice lakes, Dinaric karst, Croatia

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