Bosnia: Gazing out at what was once one of the largest expanses of water in Bosnia, all Salha Kulianin can see are boats left high and dry after months of drought emptied Lake Jablaniko.
“The climate has definitely changed, but that’s scary!” Colganin (68 years old) said. Agence France-Presse Near receding lake shores in southern Bosnia.
For many years, the village of Ostrozak, where Koljanin lives, has benefited from tourists attracted by Jablaniko’s emerald waters.
But the rains dried up this year and the water levels decreased.
As summer ends each year, water is gradually released from the 30-kilometre (18-mile) lake so that autumn rains can be absorbed.
“The levels are a little different, they go down and up,” Coljanin said, pointing to boats beached away from the rest of the water remaining in the area. “But now, I don’t know what’s going on.”
Bosnia may be one of Europe’s poorest countries, but it has long been rich in one resource: water.
The World Bank estimates Bosnia’s renewable freshwater resources at about 10 cubic meters (350 cubic feet) per person per year.
Some of Europe’s most pristine rivers run through the country’s rugged terrain, making it a paradise for rafters, kayakers and other outdoor enthusiasts.
But the lack of rain this year changed the equation. “The drought has been really disastrous,” Coljanen said.
Furthermore, the lake has completely dried up upstream.
Water shortages have also complicated operations of a nearby power plant that relies on the lake’s dam for power.
Landslides
“2024 was exceptionally bad for the work of power plants,” said Fahrudin Tanovic, CEO of the public energy company Elektroprivrida Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Since there was no snow last winter, water flow into the lake in the spring was probably at its lowest level since its existence.”
Thermal power plants still produce the most power in Bosnia, accounting for between 55 and 70 percent of the country’s electricity at any given time, according to the statistics office.
Hydropower plants produce most of the remaining energy, only 4% of which comes from solar or wind.
Drought has made surrounding areas more vulnerable to landslides, as the soil dries up and loosens.
In the nearby Jablanica region, at least 27 people were killed by sudden heavy rains in October, which flooded towns and caused landslides.
Scientists warn that climate change is making extreme weather events more frequent.