Man, who transformed the region to suit his own needs
In the mid 60’s, a plan emerged to build the Kisköre dam along with its dikes, construction works, and main ducts, with the aim of developing an irrigation system on the Great Plain. Action followed words and work began on the reservior, visualised as a second Balaton.
The construction of the lake and its filling with water was planned in three stages, of which only two were realised-fortunately for the natural wildlife. In 1973 the water levels in the channels were raised, and then in 1978 the storage area was inundated by approximately 1.5 meters of water. The third stage would have meant a further 1.5-2 metre rise in the water level, leading to the disappearance of the islands which are now such a special feature of the lake and form a valuable natural habitat. The original purpose planned for the reservior of Kisköre was reassessed and the idea of "Lake Tisza" was born. The new concept, as well as safeguarding the water supply, gives priority to environmental protection and tourism.
Hydrographic characteristics – does the water of the lake flow?
Following the regulation of the Tisza and the completion of the reservior the surface of the territory has changed. Now after regulation the Szartos and Nagy-morotva dead riverbeds, the Dead Tisza with its three branches, (Hordód, Csapó and Óhalászi) and the artificial filtering canals constitute the deepest points of the lake, while the high banks of the Tisza and the Little Tisza – once protective dikes – rise out of the water like little islands. The bed of the Living Tisza (i.e. the main river itself) has kept its original line and character. Following the natural gradient of the river, the reservior also inclines from north to south. Given a level water surface, this means that the deeper open waters dominate the Kisköre and Abádszalók region, while the Valki basin is shallower and richly covered in vegetation.
The area has been transformed into an artificial reservior and its flow can be regulated. The most important feature is that the Tisza flows in its independent bed along the entire length of the reservior. The protective dike follows this riverbed and separates it from the reservior. This separation is only interrupted in times of heavy flooding, but since the vegetation of the protectivedikes are of a floodplain type they act as a natural filter. When there is an average water flow, filtering canals ensure a link with the river. These canals were cut through the protective dikes. The filtering canals are numbered from one to ten, their length extends from a few hundred metres to several kilometres, and the ends nearest the river can be shut off by floodgates. Their main function is to maintain the water quality.
