Serbia · Central Serbia

Gruža Lake

Directions

Гружанско језеро · Gružansko jezero

Gruža Lake is an artificial lake south-west of Knić, created in 1983 as a water reservoir for the city of Kragujevac and the surrounding settlements. It covers about 9.2 km², which makes it the largest body of water in Central Serbia. Its water treatment plant in the village of Pajsijević became operational in 1984. The shallow average depth and the large flooded area favour the overgrowth of plants, which complicates water treatment, and illegal construction on the banks has polluted the lake despite a strict ban.

Nature

The lake lies on a presumed migration route and is a wintering ground for some ducks and geese; 78 bird species have been recorded here, 25 of them nesting. Wels catfish grow very large, and one of 117 kg was caught in the shallows in 2018. Pesticides from nearby farmland also reach the water.

Gallery

3 photos

Photo: CrniBombarder!!! · CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Bjoertvedt · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Visit

Getting there

Nearest settlement: Knić

Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

Gruža is very popular for fishing, with frequent competitions; the species include carp, pike, catfish, Prussian carp, perch, trout, bream and zander, and a local licence is required. Paddlers train here in kayaks, and the wild ducks draw hunters.

The lake supplies drinking water to Kragujevac, so tourist accommodation is not allowed on the shore: village households nearby let rooms, and Knić has one hotel. There is no developed beach, though there are natural coves with gently sloping banks, and one resort prohibits swimming at its beach, so ask locally before going in.

A few kilometres away is Borački krš, a karst outcrop. The village of Borač has the ruins of a medieval town, with a view over much of Šumadija, and a 14th-century church of the Archangel Gabriel at the foot of the hill.