{"id":5488,"date":"2025-08-19T18:05:15","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T15:05:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/?p=5488"},"modified":"2025-08-19T23:24:27","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T20:24:27","slug":"belciug-lake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/en\/lacul-belciug\/","title":{"rendered":"Belciug Lake"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Categories:<\/strong> Integral protected area (IUCN \"scientific reserve\") in the RBDD<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Surface:<\/strong> ~110 ha<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Localisation:<\/strong> <strong>Dranov Island<\/strong>in the last meander of the St Gheorghe Arm (km 20-25)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Maximum depth:<\/strong> up to ~7 m<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Administration:<\/strong> Administration of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (ARBDD)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Safety nets:<\/strong> part of Natura 2000 sites <strong>ROSCI0065<\/strong> and <strong>ROSPA0031<\/strong> (Danube Delta and Razim-Sinoie Complex)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Official status &amp; legal framework<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>RBDD<\/strong> is established by <strong>Law No 82\/1993<\/strong>with functional zoning: <em>strictly protected areas<\/em>, <em>buffer zone<\/em>, <em>sustainable development areas<\/em> etc.; management is provided by <strong>ARBDD<\/strong>public institution under the Ministry of Environment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Belciug Lake<\/strong> is <strong>integral protection zone<\/strong> (strictly protected area) established\/described by <strong>HG No 248\/1994<\/strong> on the delimitation of functional zones in the RBDD. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>At European level, it can be found in <strong>Natura 2000<\/strong> (SCI ROSCI0065, SPA ROSPA0031), according to the updated management documents. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Year of establishment, legal act, administrator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Reference year for detailed designation:<\/strong> <strong>1994<\/strong> (HG 248\/1994). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Key acts:<\/strong> Law 82\/1993 (establishment of RBDD), HG 248\/1994 (zoning and status of ARBDD), RBDD management plan (updates). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Administrator:<\/strong> <strong>ARBDD - Administration of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Geographical features<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Precise localisation:<\/strong> in <strong>Dranov Island<\/strong>, in <strong>the last meander of the St George's Arm<\/strong> (The strictly protected area comprises <strong>the lake proper within the limits of the banks at the maximum levels of the Danube<\/strong>. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Surface:<\/strong> approx. <strong>110 ha<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Morphology &amp; hydrology:<\/strong> isolated lake, <strong>deep<\/strong> (up to ~<strong>7 m<\/strong>), different from most lake depressions in the RBDD (often &lt;3 m).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Physical framework:<\/strong> part of the mosaic of biotopes of the river delta; surrounded by buffer zones protecting Belciug and Sacalin-Z\u0103toane in <strong>Dranov complex<\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Biodiversity - flora &amp; fauna<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ichthyology (fish):<\/strong> the lake provides refuge for <strong>endangered species<\/strong> or sensitive, such as <strong>Carassius gibelio (Carassius gibelio var. auratus)<\/strong>, <strong>Flax (Tinca tinca)<\/strong> and <strong>widow's tit (Rhodeus amarus)<\/strong> - favoured by relatively clear, meso-eutrophic water and aquatic vegetation. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mammals:<\/strong> area of <strong>feeding\/refuge<\/strong> for <strong>otter (Lutra lutra)<\/strong>, but also other small carnivores (mink, stoats) - typical of the strictly protected areas of the deltaic meadows. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Birds:<\/strong> important <strong>feeding place<\/strong> for <strong>magpies, egrets, ducks<\/strong> and, seasonally, <strong>cock (Grus grus)<\/strong>; connectivity role in the Delta aquatic habitat network for surrounding bird colonies. (Compiled from RBDD management syntheses and teaching\/scientific materials).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Phytoplankton &amp; aquatic flora:<\/strong> synthesis studies indicate a <strong>algal complex characteristic of meso-eutrophic waters<\/strong>, compatible with lake depth and isolation data. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ecological role<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Fish refuge<\/strong> in critical periods (heatwave, oxygen variations), thanks to <strong>depth<\/strong> and <strong>insulation<\/strong> - contributing to <strong>genetic diversity<\/strong> (also referred to as local 'ecotypes'). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\"Feeding station for waterfowl<\/strong> in migration and in the breeding season, energetically linking colonies in neighbouring areas (Dranov, Sacalin-Zattoane, Litcov, etc.). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Key element in the Natura 2000 network<\/strong> of the Delta, supporting conservation objectives for aquatic habitats and species of Community interest. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Threats &amp; conservation efforts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Likely threats (according to RBDD documents and literature for deltaic lakes):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Eutrophication<\/strong> and hydrological changes affecting fish communities and aquatic vegetation; especially sensitive for water-favouring species <strong>mezotrofe<\/strong>. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Anthropogenic disturbance<\/strong> in adjacent areas (boating traffic in the surrounding canals, illegal fishing outside the strictly protected perimeter) (Deduction based on RBDD regulations and environmental reports.) <a href=\"https:\/\/ddbra.ro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Starea-Mediului-in-RBDD-2024.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ddbra.ro<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Measures &amp; projects:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Full protection scheme<\/strong> (restricted access), <strong>Dranov buffer zone<\/strong> which \"rings\" the strictly-protected and <strong>management plan<\/strong> updated by ARBDD; <strong>monitoring<\/strong> annual reports summarised in the \"State of the Environment in the RBDD\" reports. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>European funded ARBDD projects for management, monitoring and information infrastructure (at reserve level).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Access &amp; visiting rules (what a tourist can do)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Important:<\/strong> <strong>Lake Belciug is a strictly protected area - public access is forbidden<\/strong>; entry\/activities are only possible for <strong>scientific<\/strong> or by <strong>management<\/strong>on the basis of <strong>ARBDD permits\/permissions<\/strong>, according to Law 82\/1993 and regulations in force. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tourism<\/strong> in the RBDD are <strong>on approved routes only<\/strong>strictly protected areas (such as Belciug) <strong>no<\/strong> is visited by tourists. Respect <strong>ARBDD licences<\/strong> (sightseeing, boat, car) and navigation rules. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The ethical experience alternative:<\/strong> observe wildlife in <strong>buffer zones<\/strong> or on <strong>authorised trails<\/strong> in the neighbourhood (e.g. Dranov, Litcov, Uzlina-Isac), accompanied by a <strong>authorised local guide<\/strong> - without entering the Belciug perimeter. (According to the visitation principles established by the ARBDD.)<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Statut oficial &amp; cadru legal Anul \u00eenfiin\u021b\u0103rii, actul normativ, administratorul Caracteristici geografice Biodiversitate \u2013 flor\u0103 &amp; faun\u0103 Rol ecologic Amenin\u021b\u0103ri &amp; eforturi de conservare Amenin\u021b\u0103ri probabile (conform documentelor RBDD \u0219i literaturii de specialitate pentru lacurile deltaice): M\u0103suri &amp; proiecte: Reguli de acces &amp; vizitare (ce poate face un turist) Alternativa etic\u0103 de experien\u021b\u0103: observa\u021bi fauna [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5529,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"both","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":301,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"_jet_sm_ready_style":"","_jet_sm_style":"","_jet_sm_controls_values":"","_jet_sm_fonts_collection":"","_jet_sm_fonts_links":"","adresa_gps":"Lacul Belciug","footnotes":""},"categories":[83],"tags":[],"location":[],"class_list":["post-5488","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-zone-protejate"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5488","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5488"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5488\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5488"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5488"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5488"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/danubedelta.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=5488"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}