“Why is it sometimes dry?” People often ask about Bubovick\u00fd potok. I will tell you its story.
Bubovick\u00fd potok also known as B\u0159esnice or Srbsk\u00fd potok is a unique stream. It flows through the Czech Karst. But it is often dry for much of the year.
Let’s explore this fascinating waterway. Bubovick\u00fd potok begins as three streams merge in Bubovice. It winds past Doutn\u00e1\u010d and Mokr\u00fd vrch. The stream goes past Bubovice waterfalls. Then it flows by Kubrychtova bouda. Finally Bubovick\u00fd potok joins the Berounka River at Srbsko. Most of its central section lies within the Karl\u0161tejn National Nature Reserve.
The Bubovick\u00fd potok is about 5.797 kilometers long. Its source lies at 49\u00b058\u203211.94\u2033 north latitude and 14\u00b010\u203230.59\u2033 east longitude. It empties into the Berounka River at 49\u00b056\u203215.15\u2033 north latitude and 14\u00b07\u203257.34\u2033 east longitude. The elevation there is about 215 meters above sea level.
A red-marked hiking trail crosses Bubovick\u00e9 vodop\u00e1dy. A yellow-marked trail follows the stream from Kubrychtova bouda to Srbsko. An educational trail of the Karl\u0161tejn Nature Reserve runs alongside them.
Bubovick\u00e9 vodop\u00e1dy is a unique geological feature. Despite their small size they attract many visitors. They lie in the popular Czech Karst area. But there is a problem. The water flow in Bubovick\u00fd potok is low. The waterfalls often lose most of their water. They can dry up completely in the warmest months. You can reach the waterfalls from a nearby road. The path crosses wooden footbridges over the stream. These bridges link both banks of the Bubovick\u00fd potok.
In typical years Bubovick\u00fd potok flows only briefly through Bubovice. The minimum flow above the pond below Bubovice is about 0.3 liters per second. Downstream from Bubovice the flow usually disappears. It vanishes into the dry valley between Doutn\u00e1\u010d and Velk\u00e1 h\u016fra in summer. It reappears before Bubovick\u00e9 vodop\u00e1dy. Then it disappears again just beyond them. Tufa settles on the waterfall steps. In the spring the stream flows on the surface. It reaches Srbsko even during very wet winters.
During floods the maximum flow reaches tens of liters per second. But during intense rainfall on June 1 and 2 1995 it reached hundreds of liters per second.
So next time you visit Bubovick\u00fd potok remember its changing nature. Sometimes it is a vibrant stream. Other times it is a dry bed.