Piva Lake (Pivsko jezero)

The lake in figures

A flooded canyon

The lake is the Piva backed up through its own canyon, so it is long and narrow between the canyon walls. Its level is not fixed: the power plant draws it down by as much as 90 m between a full 675 m and a low 595 m. The two main feeders are the Komarnica and the Vrbnica; the Vrbnica arm alone reaches about 5 km into its own valley.

Filling the canyon cost one monument its site. Piva Monastery stood at the source of the Piva at Sinjac, inside the future reservoir; between 1970 and 1982 it was taken down and rebuilt at Goransko, frescoes included. The monastery page tells that story.

The Mratinje dam

The dam at Mratinje is a concrete arch 220 m high with a crest 270 m long, built for the Mratinje hydroelectric plant and completed in the mid-1970s. The M3 (E762) Podgorica-Sarajevo road crosses the top of it, which makes the dam the easiest place to see the full height of the canyon: 220 m straight down on the downstream side. Below it the Piva runs another 9.8 km to Šćepan Polje, where it meets the Tara; the last 3 km form the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The canyon road

The M3 follows the lake from Plužine to the dam and on to Šćepan Polje and the border crossing. Three stops along it are on record: the Kruška viewpoint over the canyon, listed by the nature park; the road bridge at Plužine, a waypoint of the national panoramic road "Crown of Montenegro"; and the dam itself. The Piva canyon viewpoint has its own page, and the viewpoints hub lists the rest of the north.

Cruises and kayaks

Park prirode Piva, the nature park run from Plužine, offers two ways onto the water. Its lake cruise follows the cliffs; a golden eagle nest may be seen on the way and chamois on the slopes, and in summer the water is warm enough to swim in the lake. It also rents four kayaks, with helmets and life jackets, from its premises in Plužine (the park's address is Baja Pivljanina 10). The park publishes no prices, season or booking details for either, so ask at the office before you plan a day around it. The kayaking and boat tours hubs cover the other lakes.

The park covers a large part of Plužine municipality between the Bosnian border and Durmitor National Park, including the Tara, Piva and Sušica canyons. A zip line crosses the lake.

Getting there

Plužine, the municipal seat on the lake shore, is 58 km (about 1 h 15) from Nikšić, 49 km (about 1 hour) from Žabljak, 108 km (about 2 h 15) from Podgorica and 147 km (about 3 hours) from Budva by car. The dam is 61 km (1 h 15) from Žabljak, 74 km (about 1 h 40) from Nikšić and 124 km (about 2 h 40) from Podgorica. The lake is best reached by car.

Nearby

• Piva Monastery at Goransko, the one that was moved for the lake.
• Durmitor National Park and Žabljak to the east.
• Šćepan Polje below the dam, where the Piva meets the Tara; see rafting.
• The Komarnica, the lake's main inflow, with its own canyon.
• Other lakes on the lakes hub.

Questions

Is Piva Lake a natural lake?

No. It is a reservoir created by the Mratinje dam in the 1970s, built for hydropower. Before that the Piva ran through a canyon here.

How deep is Piva Lake?

Up to 188 m by the government's 2024 water register, which marks the figure as an estimate.

Can you swim in Piva Lake?

The water is pleasant for swimming in summer. No official source names beaches or swimming spots on the shore, and the water level can vary by up to 90 m.

Can you drive across the dam?

Yes. The M3 (E762) road crosses the crest of the dam on the way from Plužine to Šćepan Polje.

Is there a boat trip on the lake?

Park prirode Piva runs a lake cruise and rents four kayaks from its premises in Plužine. It publishes no prices or timetable; ask at the office.