Drawa

See also: Drawa, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship

Drawa is one of the most popular canoe trail in Poland, which is 185,9 km long. Surface of its catchment area amount to 3296,4 km². The Drawa begins its course at Krzywe Lake and ends it in Noteć below town Krzyż Wielkopolski. The Drawa is a right-bank tributary of Noteć, the second regarding size. Its average gradient is 0,61‰ and its flow 19m³/s. It is the longest river in Pojezierze Drawskie.

Charakterization

The Drawa enraptures with vividness and changeability of landscape. It has very diverse character. First it is wide and then narrow, shallow or deep, swift or lazy. Bottoms can be sandy, made of stones or silt. Overgrown banks alternate with fields. River is full of dams, timber yards for rafting and weirs. Rapids, cascades and felled trees are inherent elements of Drawa's landscape. Flat or steep bottoms can be dry or boggy. On numerous lakes we have to pay attention to high waves. But all efforts are compensated by breathtaking views – sunrises and settings, and surroundings of enchanting nature.

Geography

The Drawa flows across regions like: Pojezierze Drawskie, Równina Drawska and partly near Pojezierze Wałeckie and Kotlina Gorzowska. The source of the Drawa is in nature reserve Dolina Pięciu Jezior. Then river continue flowing across Drawski Landscape Park, Drawieński National Park and Drawski forest. Section from Czaplinek to Noteć is called the Karol Wojtyła Silver Route.

Tributaries

The biggest tributaries of the Drawa are: Kokna, Korytnica, Mierzęcka Struga, Płociczna, Pokrętna, Słopica, Wąsowa. The main steams are: Bagnica, Drawsko, Drawka, Głęboka, Miedzniki, Moczel, Pełknica, Radówka, Sitna, Studzienica, Sucha, Szczuczna, Wilżnica. Also one canal called Prostynia flows into the Drawa.

Lakes

The Drawa flows through many lakes. In the upper reaches of the river there are: Górne, Krąg, Długie, Głębokie, Małe. Further lakes are: Prosino, Żerdno, Drawsko Lake, Rzepowskie, Lubie, Krosino, Wielkie and Małe Dębno.

Towns

• Czaplinek
• Złocieniec
• Drawsko Pomorskie
• Prostynia
• Drawno
• Stare Osieczno
• Przedborowo
• Krzyż Wielkopolski

Flora and Fauna

The Drawa is a perfect environment for the life and development of many animals and plants. In the river lives about thirty fish species, like: roach, perch, gudgeon, chub, burbot, trout, grayling, barbel, bream, spirlin and silver bream. The river is also a place of living of the rare specimens – sea trout, common minnow, european bullhead and vimba vimba. In Drawa's region we can also spot common buzzards, red algae, sponges, sparganium and potamogeton.

History

The name „Drawa” is very old and mysterious. From the 14th century, river has been used as a navigational route. Since 1700, the Drawa was used for drifting honey from Drawsko to Frankfurt. River navigation continued until the World War II. From the 18th century to 1970s, from Drawski forest was floated wood what has led to creation of the system of timber yards for rafting. In the 19th century, thanks to interest in hydro energetics was built power station in Kamienna and next in 1916 in Borowo. In 1974, on the river route was founded a nature reserve Drawa and in 1990 Drawieński National Park.

Attractions

The Drawa flows near some interesting buildings. One of them is Drahimski Castle, which was turned into the museum. Castle was built in 1360 by the order of Saint John. There are also interesting bunkers near camping in Kotlina. We can cover natural trail in Pstrąg. On Drawa's route is also Wedel's Castle from the 14th century. On one of the banks, we can see the monument of nature – Wydrzy Głaz. On the stage from Lubie to Prostynia, rafting and canoeing are forbidden because of Drawski Training Ground.

References

• http://kajaki-sikory.pl/pl/spywy/rzekadrawa
• http://www.dpn.pl/drawa

• Galiński Z., Przewodnik dla kajakarzy. Drawa, Pascal, 2003.

See also

• Rivers of Poland