Photo: Harald Hetzner · CC0
A reservoir of the Velebit hydropower scheme near Gračac. It collects the waters of three sinking rivers, and a tunnel carries them under the Velebit mountain to the power plant on the coast. Trout live in it.
How it formed
Štikada is part of the Velebit hydroelectric scheme. It collects the water of three sinking rivers, the Obsenica, the Otuča and the Ričica; the Ričica brings it the water of the upper reservoir at Sveti Rok through a canal, and from Štikada a tunnel under the Velebit carries the water on to the power plant.
Nature
The lake is a trout water, with lake trout among its fish, and it is known among anglers for some of the biggest perch in Croatia.
Visit
Getting there
Nearest settlement: Štikada
Swimming
No reliable information
Tips
Štikada lies near Gračac, by the road to the coast. The lake is looked after by the Velebit Nature Park and the Pastrva angling club of Gračac; a day licence has been sold by the ranger at the lake, and anglers staying longer buy the club’s season ticket.
The Lovinac area around the lake is best explored by bike, on four marked cycling routes; bikes can be hired in Lovinac. Along the way are the 1744 Zdunić tower in Smokrić, the Turkish tower in Vranik and the old Travić mill.
Nearby lakes
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Sources & data
- Croatian Wikipedia: Štikada (jezero), Wikimedia Foundation
- Wikidata: Lake Štikada (Q124312982), Wikimedia Foundation
- Croatia's 2022 Water Framework Directive reporting to the EEA: lake water bodies (SWB, category LW), field cArea, European Environment Agency (WISE WFD), reported by Croatia, 2022
- Waters of the Velebit Nature Park, Velebit Nature Park
- Perch fishing in Croatia: Lake Štikada (2014), Fishing in Croatia (blog)
- Lovinac, Lika-Senj County Tourist Board