Maconka Reservoir

The Maconka Reservoir lies at the foot of the Mátra Mountains, the largest standing water area in Nógrád County, created on the Zagyva River, on the border of Bátonyterenye-Maconka and Dorogháza. It is one of Hungary’s most popular leisure and fishing lakes, holder of numerous awards, recognitions and competition peaks, and is known internationally.

Physical characteristics

Weakly vegetated, with sandy‑salty soils on the eroded areas, and occasional small reed beds, rushes, mussel beds.

History

The first plans for its creation, together with the Kisterenye and Mátraverebély reservoirs, were prepared in the 1970s within the “Zagyva reservoir water management” investment programme.

In 1975 it was formed by raising the Zagyva River (153+120 km). It is a hill‑region type, medium‑size, earth‑filled valley dam with a spillway, bounded by the Kisterenye–Kál‑Kápolna railway line and road 23. The operating permit was issued in 1977.

Forty percent of the catchment area is forested, including the north‑west slope of the Mátra and the east slope of the Cserhát, with an area of 176.7 m2.

The reservoir’s capacity for flood‑peak reduction is 1 123 000 m3, for drinking‑water storage 781 000 m3. The ecological or live‑water flow that may always be released from the reservoir’s underwater outlet is 30 l/s.

The reservoir primarily serves flood‑protection purposes, but also supplies raw water to Bátonyterenye Water Works Ltd., and functions as a tourist and mainly fishing centre.

Serious flood protection has been needed only once, in 1999, when continuous rains caused the water level to rise in several cases above 1.5 metres. The water poured out of the reservoir onto the Bátonyterenye plain. To protect the dams, the sluices had to be opened, resulting in a significant amount of fish escaping from the reservoir.

The reservoir became the largest standing water body in Nógrád County in 2002 with a 50% increase in area. An elevated pre-reservoir, reservoir islands, separate fishable lake sections, bays and two race tracks were created, which are also excellently suitable for fishing and other recreational purposes.

On February 20, 2007 an agreement for fishing utilization was concluded between the Central Danube Valley Water Management Directorate (KDV-VIZIG), the reservoir’s fishing operator and the Bátonyterenye-Maconka Leisure and Sport Fishing Association (BSHE). (The BSHE is the legal successor of the Bátonyterenye Mining Fishing Association since 2006.) Water level regulation, water level maintenance, protection of the reservoir’s embankments, and the handling of the structures are the responsibility of KDV-VIZIG, and fishing may be carried out taking this into account.

The joint agreement stipulated, among other things, that a total of 630,000 m³ of water can be stored in the reservoir, and that 1,170,000 m³ of reservoir space must always be left free for possible flood accommodation. In case of flood, the operator bears any damage to the fish stock. It also specified where fishing activities may be carried out and that fish feeding may only be to an extent that does not degrade water quality.

Developments

In recent years many large‑scale development projects have been carried out. The most significant renovation was the development implemented between 2010 and 2011 under the North‑Hungary Operational Programme (ÉMOP) call “The possibilities of the present, the values of the future – environmental‑water management development of the Maconka water reservoir” as an EU project, financed with a non‑repayable grant of 445.7 million forints through Partner Cooperation led by the Municipality. The investment started in March 2010 and was completed by May 2011. Parts not directly involved in the work continued to operate in the meantime.

The operator, the Bátonyterenye-Maconkai Leisure and Sport Fishing Association (BSHE), has been operating on a nonprofit basis for 29 years, thus it can allocate 100% of its revenue to the maintenance and operation of the reservoir.

Major renovation works

Excavation of land under and above water on 200 000 m³, dam construction, reservoir and hydro‑mechanical anchoring works.

Construction of weirs and weir casings over a length of 1 km.

1 000 m of shoreline arrangement and shoreline strip protection.

Dam building and reinforcement, shoreline revetment with wave protection over 1 090 m.

Renovation of sluices, culverts, spillways.

Preservation of flood capacity, enhancement of small‑water safety.

Construction of road and footpath on flood‑protective dams over 1 200 m.

Removal of accumulated sludge, improvement of water quality.

100 m of sediment trap with underwater concrete, pressed piles.

Creation of a new lake section.

Unified sluice system for lake sections.

Mechanical and gravitational circulation of water.

Creation of fish shelters, protected areas.

Prevention of fish swimming.

Construction of shoreline sections, reconstruction of water structures.

2 000 m of fence, electronic entry system with regular barriers, automatic prohibited‑light system, remote‑controlled camera system installation.

Water quality testing monitoring system.

Ownership

The exclusive owner of the reservoir: the Hungarian State

Principal holder of ownership rights: MNV Zrt.

Asset manager, water‑management operator: Central Danube Basin Water Management Directorate (KDV‑VIZIG)

Owner of the responsible protected area part: Bátonyterenye City Municipality

Financially interested party: local Water and Sewerage Ltd.

Fishing and recreational user, owner of the protected area part: Bátonyterenye‑Maconkai Leisure and Sport Fishing Association (BSHE)

Flora

Willows on the islands, reeds, bulrush, marsh sedge, water lily, occasionally fairy fern, removed water lily, pondweed, water rose, water crowfoot, and meadow grass grow along the shores.

Fauna

In the water there are several species of frogs, marsh and jewel turtles, otters, and among the birds grey heron, wild duck, teal, brown dipper, kingfisher, sometimes swan, marsh crane, black stork; among the terrestrial mammals fox and raccoon live here.

The western end of the lake is reedbed, marshy, and in Nógrád there is a nesting knob‑billed swan only here. Among the waterbirds occur the great crested grebe and little grebe, as well as the tufted duck.