Watercourse

Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

fishing district: 1
fishing district length: 7.0km
region: Košice Region

Blue line: course of the watercourse (approximate). Orthophoto mosaic of Slovakia © GKÚ Bratislava, CC BY 4.0Google Maps

By the water now

Conditions scoreCalculating from the current weather…

Water–
Air–
Wind–
Air pressure–
Sunrise (tomorrow)06:47First quarter, 35% illuminated

The Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise) at a glance

On the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovenský raj) je jeden rybársky revír. stream Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise) is salmonid (trout) fishing district no. 4-3120-4-3. It lies in Spišská Nová Ves district (Košice Region). The fishing district is 7.0 km long. Fishing rules, permits, the map and conditions at the water are on the fishing district's page. It belongs to the Bodrog and Hornád river basin.

Open fishing district Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Game fish of the fishing district (1):

Brown trout

Today on the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Is it worth going today? Fishing conditions score, the best window of the day and fishing districts from the best conditionsConditions score37 / 100Best window06:00

Average of the watercourse's fishing districts

37from 100

Average activity · average of one fishing district

The number in the header is an estimate for the middle of the watercourse based on weather and measurements. The average of the fishing districts also counts satellite data, shading and geology of each fishing district.

Best window today

06:00–08:00

Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise), window score 45.

The score is an estimate of conditions based on weather, water and surroundings, not a bite forecast. Recalculated at 22:38.

Map and fishing districts of the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

The course of the watercourse and its fishing districts. You can switch the line colour to today's conditions, quality or any other parameter.Fishing districts1Length7,0 km

Detailed filtersregion, district, bottom, depth, shading, satellites, water chemistry and pollution, fish, geology

Region

River basin

District and local SRZ organisation

1445fishing districts

Pick a category to narrow the selection. Next to each option you can see how many fishing districts remain.

Map colour

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Move the map with two fingers. In full-screen mode one finger is enough.

Sort fishing districts

Watercourse Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise) in 3D

The whole river from source to mouth in one model: discharge from drought to flood, depths, current, bed and reservoirs on the riverLength7,0 kmFall118 m

River channel

Model estimate

Loading the 3D channel model…

Discharge2.8m³/smean at the mouth, estimated

Flow velocity0.6m/schannel median

River length7.0kmfrom source to mouth

Fall118 m648 → 530 m a.s.l.

Channel width8.3mmedian

Water-surface slope17 ‰metres per kilometre

Water surface area11.3ha

Water volume36 thousand m³

Dominant bedGravel48% of the bed area

How the model was made

Shape of the modelThe model is not a rectangle but a strip of terrain that follows the whole river from source to mouth with every bend. The channel runs down the middle of the strip, with bank and floodplain on both sides; at a reservoir on the river the strip widens to its shores. The river axis comes from OpenStreetMap, otherwise from the fishing district lines.
ChannelThe channel is the area with a level water surface along the river axis in the digital terrain model DMR 5.0 (airborne laser scanning, GKÚ). In reservoirs on the river the depths come from their bed model.
Terrain and slopeElevations are stored relative to the river level at the nearest place on the river, so the river is a level surface in the model and the banks, floodplain and slopes keep their true height above it. The water surface slope comes from DMR 5.0.
Depths and dischargeMean discharge is estimated from channel width (Hey and Thorne 1986), depth from Manning's equation for the slope and bed roughness. Riffles and pools alternate every six channel widths, as in nature; their exact position is illustrative.
Flood and droughtThe discharge slider changes the water level according to the conveyance of the channel. In a flood the water spills where it can actually get across the lowest point of the bank.
Bed and bedrockGeological map of Slovakia 1 : 50,000 (ŠGÚDŠ); bed grain size by stream slope: coarser material on riffles, finer in pools and near the bank.
Live flowThe browser computes the river flow on the graphics card from the depth-averaged Navier–Stokes equations: the water is driven by the surface slope, the selected discharge enters at the inlet and with tributaries, and it is slowed by bed friction (Manning) and turbulence. The pressure also gives the bending of the surface, for example the dip in the centre of an eddy. Eddies and backflows along the bank are the result of a computation on the bed model grid, not a measurement. Tributaries within the strip (OpenStreetMap) enter the river with their own discharge and direction; the river level backs them up at the mouth. Tributary water mixes in the river: streamlines carrying tributary water have a warmer colour and the place description shows its share. In Fish mode, fish seek a suitable current speed and swim against it.

Model reliability

Literature
Fishing regulations
Estimate

Channel width and water-surface slope come from airborne laser scanning; depths and discharge are estimated from hydraulic relations.

Channel cross-section

Height is measured from the flood level. Bedrock layer thicknesses are illustrative; the map shows only the surface.

Water area and volume by level

How the flooded area and water volume in the reach change from drought to flood.

Bed and bedrock

Bed by stream slope, bedrock from the geological map.

The river channel is a model: width and slope come from terrain scanning; depths, discharge and flow velocity are estimated from hydraulic relations, not measured by SHMÚ. The flood extent is indicative and does not replace flood hazard maps. Not suitable for boating or wading.

The river axis is assembled from fishing district lines; parts of the river outside fishing districts are missing from the model.

Sources

Terrain and river level: DMR 5.0, GKÚ Bratislava, CC BY 4.0
Hey, R. D., Thorne, C. R. (1986): Stable channels with mobile gravel beds. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering 112(8) (bankfull width and discharge)
Manning, R. (1891): On the flow of water in open channels and pipes. Transactions of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland 20 (depth and velocity from discharge, slope and channel roughness)
Barnes, R., Lehman, C., Mulla, D. (2014): Priority-flood. Computers & Geosciences 62 (spreading of water into the floodplain as the level rises)

Simplified overview: a terrain strip from the highest point to the lowest

Loading the 3D model…

Position on the watercourse

From the start 0 kmWater surface elevation –Fishing district

The strip of terrain follows the watercourse and is widened and vertically exaggerated for readability. The colour of the water is the fishing district type: gold for carp, blue for trout, violet for grayling. Elevations come from airborne laser scanning (DMR 5.0, ÚGKK SR).

Fish and catches on the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Which fish live here and what has been caught? Game species recorded in the fishing districts and approved catches by anglersGame species1

Game species recorded in the fishing district

Brown trout

Anglers' catches

Nobody has added a catch from these fishing districts yet.

Add a catch

Water conditions on the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

How much water is there? Water level, its change and water temperature at SHMÚ stationsStations1

Water levels on the watercourse

Station	Status	Change	Temperature
Hrabušice-Podlesok	13 cm		–

Organisations and districts on the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Who manages the fishing districts and where they areDistricts1

Spišská Nová Ves district, Košice Region

Water pollution on the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Water quality according to SHMÚ, wastewater treatment plants near the fishing districts and groundwater nearbyFishing districts failing a standard1 / 1

Surface water near the fishing districtsnearest SHMÚ monitoring site, 2025

1 of 1 fishing districts on the watercourse with SHMÚ data: the nearest site has an unmet standard in at least one indicator.

1 to 2 indicators1

Problematic treatment plants near the fishing districts1 treatment plant within 2 km of the fishing district

COV Hrabusiceload 185%0.6 km

Groundwater: measured valuestypical value from stations within 10 km, 2025

1 of 1 fishing district with measurements has groundwater nearby with a value above the limit for at least one indicator.

harmful substances above the standard at one or more stations (metals, pesticides, PFAS, solvents)1

Water pollution in the Hornád basin Polluted water in Slovakia

Source: SHMÚ (yearbooks on surface and groundwater quality), the register of wastewater treatment plants from VÚVH and the EEA. A SHMÚ site is assigned to a fishing district by the same watercourse name and by distance; the yearbook lists the sites that failed the standard, so a missing site is not proof of clean water.

Terrain and satellite images of the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Elevation profile, 3D terrain of the surroundings and historical satellite imagesHighest point639 m n. m.Lowest point534 m n. m.

Elevation profile of the watercourse

How the watercourse falls downstream: fall, gradient and water speed.

Fast watercourse Podhorský potok: fast water, stony bottom, riffles and the pools below them. Typical trout waters.

Elevation profile of the watercourse: from 639 to 541 m a.s.l. over 7.0 km.

Fishing districts in order from the highest (left) to the lowest. There may be a section without a fishing district between fishing districts; it is not displayed.

Highest point: 639 m a.s.l.
Lowest point: 534 m a.s.l.
Fall of the fishing districts: 105 m
Average gradient: 15 ‰
Sinuosity: 1.18

Source: Open Topo Data (eudem25m), 4 Nov 2026. Gradient and fall are approximate and include only the sections of fishing districts.

Terrain in 3D

Loading the 3D terrain model…

Historical images

Changes in the surroundings and nature from 2019 to 2025: how the banks, vegetation and landscape around the water change. The images switch automatically; you can also browse them by hand.

Aerial image of watercourse Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise) from 2019 — **2019**imaged 30 Jun 2019

Aerial image of watercourse Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise) from 2022 — **2022**imaged 10 Oct 2022

Aerial image of watercourse Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise) from 2025 — **2025**imaged 2 Jul 2025

Orthophoto mosaic of Slovakia © GKÚ Bratislava, NLC Zvolen. The year and day of imaging depend on the location, so individual years may differ in season and weather.

More watercourses near the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

The nearest rivers, streams and water bodies in the same river basinWatercourses6

Geology and geochemistry of the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise) stream

Geology at a glance and a map of the zone

What lies beneath the water and around it? An overview in tiles, a map of mine workings, deposits, contaminated sites, boreholes and gold finds, and how to read the data

The overview is based on public registers and atlases of the State Geological Institute of Dionýz Štúr. The search covers a zone around the water of all fishing districts of the stream (7 km of line in total): stream samples within 1 km, boreholes, mine workings and contaminated sites within 3 km, ore occurrences within 5 km, geothermal sources within 10 km.

Rock under the water

River alluvium33% of the water line

33% limestones and dolomites, 33% young sediments

Gravelly and sandy bottom and floodplains; the water is replenished from groundwater in the alluvium. Geological Map of Slovakia 1:50,000.

Water according to the atlas

pH 8.3modelled estimate

water type Ca–Mg–HCO₃

Mineralisation 362 mg/l, moderately hard water (13.0 °dH). Interpolation of measurements from the Geochemical Atlas of Slovakia, not a measurement in the stream.

Elements in river sediment

2 from 15elements in the top 10%

highest: Lead 41.9 mg/kg

Position of the highest-ranked element among the sample points on streams in Slovakia: percentile 93. Interpolation of the Geochemical Atlas of river sediments.

Heat underfoot

28°C at 1,000 m depth

heat flow 58 mW/m²

At a depth of 2,000 m about 45 °C (increase of 17 °C per kilometre). Atlas of Geothermal Energy of Slovakia.

Natural gamma radiation

31nGy/h dose rate

percentile 3 in Slovakia

Natural background from rocks and soil (potassium, uranium, thorium), not a value measured at the water. Airborne gamma-ray spectrometry by ŠGÚDŠ.

Old mine workings

0features within 3 km

No old mine working is recorded within 3 km of the water.

Gold in river sediment

1sample with gold

15 ore minerals in the sediment

Up to 1 grain in one sample (950 m from the water). Heavy-mineral prospecting counted gold grains in a concentrate from river sediment.

Trace elements in the stream water

1 from 10indicators in the top 5%

highest: Selenium 1.00 μg/l

Position of the highest measured value in the distribution of all surface water samples in Slovakia: percentile 95 (Hornád).

Boreholes and groundwater analyses

91boreholes within 3 km

350 water analyses nearby

Of these, 91 have an archive report from Geofond. The boreholes are hydrogeological, geological, engineering-geological and other.

Geothermal energy

31°C at the wellhead

6 geothermal boreholes within 10 km

Warmest: Arnutovce – HKJ-3, yield 11.8 l/s, 6.5 km from the water.

Contaminated sites and landfills

5sites within 3 km

5 landfills

No contaminated site is registered within 3 km; landfills are only recorded.

Deposits and ore occurrences

11records within 5 km

11 ore occurrences

Geofond registers, the metallogenetic map and the mineral resources map.

Landslides and slope deformations

2areas within 3 km

Documented landslides in the Geofond register. A landslide into a stream can cloud the water and change the bed.

Map of the zone

Where the nearest mine workings, deposits, contaminated sites, geothermal boreholes and gold finds are. Groups can be switched off.

Ores and metals 11Contaminated sites 5Geothermal energy 30Geological sites 1Landslides and slope deformations 2Boreholes and water analyses 90Springs and seepages 13Heavy minerals from stream-sediment samples 1

The line is the water of the fishing district, the light band is the 3 km zone in which boreholes, mine workings and contaminated sites were searched for. The map shows the nearest objects (at most a few dozen from each register), not all of them. The points correspond to the position in the register; area objects are marked by their centre.

How to read these data

Zone and distance. The distance is measured from the line of the water to the point in the register (to the centre for areas), with an accuracy of tens of metres. Counts apply only to the zone, not to the whole catchment.
Percentile. For chemistry, the highest value is compared with all atlas samples in Slovakia. It is not a legal limit or a health risk assessment; the atlases are historical (published: surface waters 2015, groundwater 1996, river sediments 1999).
Limit of quantification. Many samples have a value at the lowest level the laboratory can determine; such results mean "below the limit". For these, the position in the distribution is an estimate.
Heavy-mineral concentrates. Only samples with a find are recorded. The number of grains in a concentrate is not the gold content in grams per tonne.
Relation to water. A mine working, landfill or contaminated site nearby proves nothing about the quality of the water in the stream. It serves as a prompt for attention and a starting point for further investigation.
Sample points. The area and raster maps of ŠGÚDŠ cannot be downloaded as points, so along the line of each fishing district the value is looked up at points roughly every 3 km. It is a sample of the line, not a continuous record; a very short section may have a single point.
Atlas rasters. The chemistry of water and sediments is an interpolation of measurements in a sampling network (Geochemical Atlas of Slovakia). The value at a point is a modelled estimate for the surroundings, not a measurement in the water. The percentile compares the average of this stream with all sample points on streams in Slovakia.
Positions and scales. The maps have different scales (1:50,000 to 1:1,000,000), so the level of detail differs between sections. A map outside its coverage means there is no area at that point, not that there is nothing there.

Data: © ŠGÚDŠ (https://www.geology.sk), downloaded 8 Nov 2026. Details in the Methodology.

Rocks, groundwater and landscape

What does the water flow over? Geological structure and age of the rocks, groundwater aquifers, relief, climate, soils and geophysical fields

Geological structure beneath the water

Which rock lies beneath the water line (Geological Map of Slovakia 1:50,000), how old it is, how thick the Quaternary cover is and in which tectonic unit the water flows. The bedrock decides the hardness of the water, the bottom, the turbidity after rain and the abundance of springs.

The points follow the water line (for a stream and a basin, fishing district after fishing district). The strip is a cross-section by distance, not a map; the width of a section corresponds to the number of points.

River alluvium33%SR 72 %
Limestones and dolomites33%SR 2.7 %
Young sediments33%SR 8.6 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

River alluvium: Gravelly and sandy bottom and floodplains; the water is replenished from groundwater in the alluvium.

Geological age of the rocks

Quaternary67%
Triassic33%

Most common rock units

System	Age	Unit	Points
Quaternary	Holocene	fluvial sediments: lithofacially undivided floodplain loams, or sandy to gravelly loams of valley floodplains and floodplains	1×
Triassic	medium – Late Triassic	Wetterstein limestones: light grey organodetrital and organogenic massive reef limestones	1×
Quaternary	Pleistocene – Holocene	deluvial-proluvial sediments: loamy to loamy-stony debris cones, locally containing gravels and san…	1×

Quaternary cover

Typical thickness of the Quaternary cover2.3m

0 – 250%SR 16 %
2 – 550%SR 48 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Tectonic division

NEOALPÍNSKE TEKTONICKÉ ŠTRUKTÚRY ZÁPADNÝCH KARPÁT100%SR 84 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Neotectonic units

positive unit (mountain range)67%SR 60 %
negative unit (intermountain basins)33%SR 14 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Direction of neotectonic movements

large uplift67%SR 26 %
slight subsidence33%SR 8.8 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Regional geological division

Gemer Belt100%SR 5.9 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Regional geological division (subunits)

Slovak Paradise100%SR 0.7 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Engineering-geological districts

zone of mountain-stream deposits50%SR 21 %
zone of limestone rocks50%SR 1.1 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Engineering-geological formations

formation of Quaternary sediments50%SR 71 %
limestone-dolomite formation50%SR 1.5 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Susceptibility of the area to slope deformations

Zone of stable ground100%SR 95 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

The map covers 3 of 3 points on the water line.

Hydrogeology: aquifers and groundwater

Streams and rivers are fed by groundwater. Hydrogeological maps show in which rocks the water is stored, how permeable they are and what the water in them is like. The data come from ŠGÚDŠ maps, not from measurements at a particular water.

Aquifer rocks (hydrogeological map 1:200,000)

Gravel100%SR 52 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Aquifer type

Menšie zvodnence s medzizrnovým alebo puklinovým typom priepustnosti alebo oblasti s takmer žiadnymi množstvami podzemnej vody (Gravel)100%SR 22 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Type of permeability (basic hydrogeological map 1:50,000)

intergranular50%SR 86 %
fissure-karst50%SR 0.6 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Hydrogeological function

aquifer100%SR 95 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Main hydrogeological region

Mesozoic of the Slovak Paradise and the Havranie vrchy with the adjacent Palaeozoic67%SR 0.0 %
Palaeogene of the Hornád Basin and part of the Poprad Basin33%SR 1.4 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Genetic type of groundwater

potamogenic and carbonate-silicatogenic100%SR 0.0 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Chemical type of groundwater

Ca-Mg-HCO3-SO4100%SR 0.8 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Groundwater quality class

A100%SR 36 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Relief, climate and soils

A basin is not just water: slope and elevation determine the speed of runoff, climate the temperature and amount of water, and soils what is washed into the stream. The data come from the geomorphological division, climatic-geographical types and soil maps of ŠGÚDŠ.

Elevation of geomorphological units (from–to)459–1 267m a.s.l.
Average elevation of the units870m a.s.l.
Average gradient18.8°
Average January temperature-5.1°C
Average July temperature15.9°C
Annual precipitation800mm

Geomorphological units

Spiš–Gemer Karst100%SR 0.0 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Geomorphological regions

Slovak Ore Mountains100%SR 10 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Climatic-geographical types

basin climate67%SR 29 %
mountain climate33%SR 33 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Susceptibility of soils to acidification

soils moderately susceptible to acidification67%SR 25 %
soils not susceptible to acidification33%SR 27 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Soil contamination (map 1:500,000)

uncontaminated soil: geogenic content of some risk elements reaches limit value A100%SR 45 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Lithogeochemical types

Inner Carpathian Palaeogene100%SR 11 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Geophysical fields: magnetics and gravity

Maps of the magnetic field and gravity (ŠGÚDŠ) reveal what lies beneath the sediments and the surface: volcanic bodies, faults and crustal thickness. For an angler they are interesting indirectly: they show where the bedrock changes, and with it the water.

Magnetic anomaly

-39nT

range -44 to -37 nT

Deviation of the Earth's magnetic field from its surroundings. Positive and negative anomalies reveal rocks with magnetite (basalts, basic volcanic rocks) and boundaries in the bedrock.

Bouguer gravity anomaly

-41mGal

residual −5.9 mGal

Negative values lie over thick sediments and under mountains (light crust), positive over dense rocks and thinner crust. It shows the structure of the Earth's crust, not the water.

Chemistry of water and river sediments

What is in the water and on the bed? Trace elements and metals, nutrients, major ions, elements in sediments and groundwater

Surface water chemistry according to the atlas

Modelled composition of the water in the area the fishing district line runs through. The rasters of the Geochemical Atlas of Slovakia (surface waters) are an interpolation of measurements in sampled streams, so they show the typical background of the area, not a measurement in a particular stream.

Water acidity

pH 8.34typical range

Most rivers and streams in Slovakia have a pH of 6.5 to 8.5. More acidic water is found in streams on acidic rocks (granites, quartzites), more alkaline water near limestones.

Water hardness

13.0°dH, moderately hard

Sum of calcium and magnesium (2.33 mmol/l). Hard water is buffered and its pH changes more slowly; soft water is more sensitive to acid rain.

Dissolved substances

362mg/l mineralisation

Total amount of dissolved minerals. Clean mountain water has tens of mg/l, lowland and limestone waters hundreds.

Ionic composition of the water

Cations (positive ions)

Ca 67Mg 31

Anions (negative ions)

HCO₃ 81SO₄ 15

Water type by dominant ions: Ca–Mg–HCO₃

Shares are in equivalents, the usual way of comparing the composition of waters.

Major ions

FluoridesF0.448 mg/lpercentile 95
MagnesiumMg17.7 mg/lpercentile 59
BicarbonatesHCO3230 mg/lpercentile 56
CalciumCa64.1 mg/lpercentile 51
ChloridesCl6.44 mg/lpercentile 42
SulfatesSO434.1 mg/lpercentile 41
SodiumNa2.31 mg/lpercentile 7
PotassiumK0.588 mg/lpercentile 5

dot: average along the water line, line: from the lowest to the highest value, scale: position among sample points on streams in Slovakia (0 to 100th percentile)

Nutrients and organic pollution

NitratesNO35.73 mg/lpercentile 45
PhosphatesPO40.0437 mg/lpercentile 24
Chemical oxygen demandChSK2.11 mg/lpercentile 23
AmmoniumNH40.0277 mg/lpercentile 7

Metals

AluminiumAl185 μg/lpercentile 77
ManganeseMn24.3 μg/lpercentile 44
ZincZn4.20 μg/lpercentile 31
IronFe0.0621 mg/lpercentile 30

Trace elements in surface waters

Arsenic, antimony, cadmium, lead, copper, zinc and other elements in samples from rivers and streams (Geochemical Atlas of Slovakia, surface waters, 2015). The bar shows where the highest value lies among all samples in Slovakia; the light marker is the median of the samples at this water.

SeleniumSehigh (top 5%)
highest 1.00 μg/lmedian 0.500 μg/l14 samples93% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: Hornád1992, 260 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 95 of all samples in Slovakia.
ChromiumCrelevated (top 10%)
highest 5.00 μg/lmedian 3.10 μg/l14 samples
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: 1500m ZJZ od obce Betlanovce1993, 750 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 92 of all samples in Slovakia.
StrontiumSrslightly elevated
highest 440 μg/lmedian 50.0 μg/l14 samples
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: Hornád1992, 260 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 86 of all samples in Slovakia.
LithiumLislightly elevated
highest 22.0 μg/lmedian 5.00 μg/l14 samples86% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: Hornád1992, 260 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 86 of all samples in Slovakia.
AntimonySbslightly elevated
highest 0.700 μg/lmedian 0.500 μg/l14 samples93% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: 1200m VSV od K8081993, 760 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 78 of all samples in Slovakia.
ArsenicAsslightly elevated
highest 2.00 μg/lmedian 0.500 μg/l14 samples86% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: Hornád1992, 260 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 75 of all samples in Slovakia.
CadmiumCdslightly elevated
highest 0.250 μg/lmedian 0.250 μg/l14 samples
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: Veľká Biela Voda, 980 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 75 of all samples in Slovakia.
CopperCutypical value
highest 2.30 μg/lmedian 1.00 μg/l14 samples79% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: 1200m VSV od K8081993, 760 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 73 of all samples in Slovakia.
BariumBatypical value
highest 50.0 μg/lmedian 10.0 μg/l14 samples
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: 1500m ZJZ od obce Betlanovce1993, 750 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 60 of all samples in Slovakia.
LeadPbbelow half of Slovakia
highest 2.50 μg/lmedian 2.50 μg/l14 samples100% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: Veľká Biela Voda1992, 980 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 43 of all samples in Slovakia.

Major ions, mineralisation and pH

Basic water chemistry: which rocks the minerals in it come from.

Silicon dioxideSiO2below half of Slovakia
highest 10.1 mg/lmedian 2.77 mg/l14 samples
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: 1500m ZJZ od obce Betlanovce1993, 750 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 47 of all samples in Slovakia.

Elements in river sediments

The Geochemical Atlas of Slovakia (river sediments) describes what the river carries in the fine material on its bed. Sediment collects metals from rocks, ore occurrences and past mining and industry. It is not a legal limit or a health risk assessment: it shows how an element on this stream ranks among streams in Slovakia.

Potentially toxic and trace elements

LeadPb41.9 mg/kgpercentile 93
SeleniumSe0.607 mg/kgpercentile 92
CadmiumCd0.442 mg/kgpercentile 83
CopperCu36.4 mg/kgpercentile 81
AntimonySb1.52 mg/kgpercentile 80
BismuthBi0.330 mg/kgpercentile 78
TinSn3.72 mg/kgpercentile 78
MercuryHg0.216 mg/kgpercentile 76
MolybdenumMo0.414 mg/kgpercentile 57
ZincZn102 mg/kgpercentile 56
ArsenicAs6.08 mg/kgpercentile 43
NickelNi12.8 mg/kgpercentile 8
ChromiumCr30.4 mg/kgpercentile 4
VanadiumV33.7 mg/kgpercentile 4
CobaltCo2.40 mg/kgpercentile 2

dot: average along the water line, line: from the lowest to the highest value, scale: position among sample points on streams in Slovakia (0 to 100th percentile)

Major elements (iron, aluminium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, titanium, manganese, phosphorus)

CalciumCa15.0 %percentile 98
MagnesiumMg4.04 %percentile 96
PhosphorusP671 mg/kgpercentile 26
ManganeseMn413 mg/kgpercentile 4
SodiumNa0.457 %percentile 4
IronFe1.18 %percentile 3
AluminiumAl2.58 %percentile 3
PotassiumK0.680 %percentile 3
TitaniumTi1,727 mg/kgpercentile 3

Further elements (barium, strontium, lithium, rubidium, zirconium, yttrium, cerium, boron, beryllium, gallium)

StrontiumSr112 mg/kgpercentile 27
LithiumLi22.1 mg/kgpercentile 11
BoronB36.3 mg/kgpercentile 8
ZirconiumZr146 mg/kgpercentile 4
RubidiumRb49.3 mg/kgpercentile 4
YttriumY10.4 mg/kgpercentile 3
GalliumGa4.55 mg/kgpercentile 3
CeriumCe27.1 mg/kgpercentile 3
BerylliumBe0.271 mg/kgpercentile 3
BariumBa137 mg/kgpercentile 2

Groundwater: chemistry and water types

Hydrogeochemical sites (analyses of springs and boreholes) and the geochemical atlas of groundwater (1996). Groundwater feeds streams, so its composition also affects the water in the stream.

Chemical water types nearby

Ca-Mg-HCO313×
Ca-HCO310×
Ca-Mg-HCO3-SO43×
Ca-HCO3-SO42×
Ca-Mg-SO41×
Ca-Mg-HCO3-NO31×

Water quality class according to the hydrogeochemical map

class A19×
class B7×
class C2×
class E1×
class D1×

Metals in groundwater

ZincZnhigh (top 5%)
highest 2,605 μg/lmedian 3.50 μg/l24 samples38% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: studňa1992, 880 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 97 of all samples in Slovakia.
MercuryHghigh (top 5%)
highest 0.300 μg/lmedian 0.100 μg/l24 samples88% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: prameň1993, 2.4 km from the water. Comparison: percentile 96 of all samples in Slovakia.
AluminiumAlhigh (top 5%)
highest 0.120 mg/lmedian 0.00500 mg/l24 samples75% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: prameň1993, 2.6 km from the water. Comparison: percentile 96 of all samples in Slovakia.
ChromiumCrhigh (top 5%)
highest 4.60 μg/lmedian 0.250 μg/l24 samples71% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: prameň1993, 2.6 km from the water. Comparison: percentile 96 of all samples in Slovakia.
AntimonySbhigh (top 5%)
highest 1.00 μg/lmedian 0.100 μg/l24 samples63% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: prameň1993, 2.9 km from the water. Comparison: percentile 95 of all samples in Slovakia.
LithiumLihigh (top 5%)
highest 58.0 μg/lmedian 1.00 μg/l24 samples58% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: studňa1992, 880 m from the water. Comparison: percentile 95 of all samples in Slovakia.
ArsenicAshigh (top 5%)
highest 4.40 μg/lmedian 0.500 μg/l24 samples83% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: prameň1992, 1.1 km from the water. Comparison: percentile 95 of all samples in Slovakia.
SeleniumSehigh (top 5%)
highest 2.50 μg/lmedian 0.500 μg/l24 samples96% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: prameň1993, 2.6 km from the water. Comparison: percentile 95 of all samples in Slovakia.
CopperCuelevated (top 10%)
highest 4.40 μg/lmedian 0.250 μg/l24 samples
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: prameň1993, 1.2 km from the water. Comparison: percentile 92 of all samples in Slovakia.
LeadPbelevated (top 10%)
highest 2.00 μg/lmedian 0.500 μg/l24 samples58% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: prameň1992, 2.2 km from the water. Comparison: percentile 90 of all samples in Slovakia.
IronFetypical value
highest 0.00500 mg/lmedian 0.00500 mg/l15 samples100% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: prameň1992, 2.2 km from the water. Comparison: percentile 50 of all samples in Slovakia.
CadmiumCdbelow half of Slovakia
highest 0.250 μg/lmedian 0.250 μg/l24 samples100% below the limit of quantification
1. up to 50%
2. 50–75
3. 75–90
4. 90–99
5. above 99
Highest value: prameň1992, 2.2 km from the water. Comparison: percentile 47 of all samples in Slovakia.

Gold, mines and deposits

Was gold panned and ore mined here? Gold and ore minerals in river sediments, old mine workings, deposits and ore occurrencesSamples with gold1

Gold and ore minerals in river sediments

Regional heavy-mineral prospecting: the heavy fraction was washed out of river gravel and the mineral grains in it were counted. The map of finds is positive: a sample without gold is not listed in the atlas, so the absence of a find is not proof that there is no gold.

Baryte (BaSO₄)27 samples, at most 1815 grains
Pyrite (FeS₂)26 samples, at most 815 grains
Hematite (Fe₂O₃)21 samples, at most 4115 grains
Magnetite (Fe₃O₄)21 samples, at most 815 grains
Rutil (TiO₂)21 samples, at most 315 grains
Anatas (TiO₂)15 samples, at most 5 grains
Limonite (FeO(OH)·nH₂O)12 samples, at most 4115 grains
Ilmenit (FeTiO₃)12 samples, at most 55 grains
Monazit ((Ce,La,Nd)PO₄)4 samples, at most 5 grains
Cinabarit (HgS)3 samples, at most 5 grains
Arsenopyrite (FeAsS)2 samples, at most 5 grains
Chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂)1 sample, at most 5 grains
Kasiterit (SnO₂)1 sample, at most 1 grains
Markazit (FeS₂)1 sample, at most 5 grains
Gold (Au)1 sample, at most 1 grains

Nearest samples with gold

2624
1 grain
950 m

Rock-forming and accessory minerals

Epidot (Ca₂(Al,Fe)₃Si₃O₁₂(OH))21 samples, at most 155 grains
Granáty ((Fe,Mg,Ca,Mn)₃Al₂Si₃O₁₂)21 samples, at most 815 grains
Zirconium (ZrSiO₄)21 samples, at most 555 grains
Spinel (Cr-spinel) ((Mg,Fe)(Al,Cr)₂O₄)19 samples, at most 55 grains
Pyroxény ((Mg,Fe,Ca)₂Si₂O₆)17 samples, at most 155 grains
Tourmalines (complex borosilicate)16 samples, at most 5 grains
Staurolit (Fe₂Al₉Si₄O₂₃(OH))9 samples, at most 5 grains
Amfiboly (Ca₂(Mg,Fe)₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂)2 samples, at most 5 grains
Apatit (Ca₅(PO₄)₃(F,Cl,OH))1 sample, at most 155 grains
Korund (Al₂O₃)1 sample, at most 5 grains

Mine workings, deposits and ore occurrences

Old mine workings outside mining areas (Geofond register), deposits and mining areas, and the metallogenetic map. Gold, silver and other metals near streams can get into sediments and water.

Ore occurrences in the metallogenic map

Spišský ŠtiavnikOre typeUranium oresMetalsU, CuTypedeposit occurrence
3.7 km

Geothermal energy, mineral waters and boreholes

Is there heat underground? Geothermal potential, geothermal boreholes by temperature, mineral springs and the borehole archiveHottest borehole31 °CBoreholes91

Geothermal potential

The Atlas of Geothermal Energy of Slovakia records rock temperature and heat flow from the Earth's interior. It is the potential of the area, not the actual warmth of the water in the stream. Specific geothermal boreholes and springs near this water are in the geothermal energy section below.

Rock temperature with depth

28 / 45 °Cat depths of 1,000 and 2,000 m

increase of 17 °C per km

The line shows the rock temperature; the dotted part is only an extension to the surface. Heat flow 58 mW/m².

Geothermal energy and mineral waters

Geothermal boreholes (wellhead water temperature, yield, chemical type) and sources of geothermal and mineral waters within 10 km. Data on the use and existence of a borehole come from the Geofond register.

Geothermal boreholes by water temperature

Arnutovce – HKJ-3Yield11.8 l/sDepth1133 mChemical water typeCa-Mg-HCO3UseunusedFrom the water6.5 km
31 °C
Gánovce – GA-1AYield1.9 l/sDepth276 mChemical water typeCa-Mg-HCO3-SO4Usein use without data reportingFrom the water8.6 km
27 °C
Gánovce – ŠHG-1Yield3.0 l/sDepth150 mChemical water typeCa-Mg-HCO3-SO4UseunusedFrom the water7.9 km
26 °C
Letanovce – HKJ-4Yield8.0 l/sDepth607 mChemical water typeCa-Mg-HCO3UseunusedFrom the water4.5 km
25 °C
Gánovce – ŠHG-2Yield2.5 l/sDepth110 mChemical water typeCa-Mg-HCO3-SO4UseunusedFrom the water7.8 km
25 °C
Gánovce – GA-1Yield2.8 l/sDepth50 mChemical water typeCa-Mg-HCO3-SO4UseunusedFrom the water8.6 km
23 °C

Sources of geothermal and mineral waters

category a1Typemineral waterWater temperature (°C)< 15Yield (l/s)< 5Count11
4.3 km
category a2Typemineral waterWater temperature (°C)< 15Yield (l/s)5-15Count1
5.2 km
category b2Typemineral waterWater temperature (°C)15-22Yield (l/s)5-15Count1
5.4 km
category b1Typemineral waterWater temperature (°C)15-22Yield (l/s)< 5Count6
5.5 km
category c1Typemineral waterWater temperature (°C)23-38Yield (l/s)< 5Count3
5.8 km
HKJ-3Typegeothermal waterWater temperature (°C)22 – 38Yield (l/s)5 – 15Count1
6.8 km
category c2Typemineral waterWater temperature (°C)23-38Yield (l/s)5-15Count1
7.5 km

Boreholes and Geofond archive reports

Register of hydrogeological boreholes, other boreholes and geothermal boreholes. Each borehole has a report in the Geofond archive (geological profiles, pumping tests, chemical analyses of the water); the report number is in the table.

91 boreholes in the 3 km zone, of which 33 hydrogeological and 58 other; with an archive report number 91.

Borehole depths

up to 10 m48×
10–30 m4×
30–100 m16×
100–300 m14×
over 300 m8×

Nearest boreholes

Betlanovce-TepličnoTypestructural borehole with ordinary waterDepth450.0 mArchive report76784 113Bb52.pdf
60 m
V-SPH-4/85TypehydrogeologicalDepth450.0 mArchive report76784
60 m
Hrabušice-PodlesokTypestructural borehole with ordinary waterDepth392.0 mArchive report76784 113Bb54.pdf
80 m
V-SPH-6/86TypehydrogeologicalDepth392.0 mArchive report76784
80 m
BK-VMr-14TypedepositDepth3.6 mArchive report12892
100 m
HrabušiceTypenarrow-diameter borehole with ordinary drinking and service water, with artesian overflowDepth30.0 mArchive report36696 113Bb21.pdf
110 m
Hrabušice-PodlesokTypestructural borehole with ordinary waterDepth200.0 mArchive report76784 113Bb53.pdf
130 m
V-SPH-5/86TypehydrogeologicalDepth200.0 mArchive report76784
130 m
Stratená hornatina-HrabušiceTypenarrow-diameter borehole with ordinary drinking and service waterDepth80.0 mArchive report26872 113Ba3.pdf
150 m
Stratená hornatinaTypenarrow-diameter borehole with ordinary drinking and service waterDepth16.0 mArchive report26872 113Ba4.pdf
160 m
Košariská-HrabušiceTypenarrow-diameter borehole with ordinary drinking and service waterDepth30.5 mArchive report72953 113Bb47.pdf
210 m
BK-VMr-8TypedepositDepth4.7 mArchive report12892
210 m

Natural radioactivity and radon

How much does the ground radiate here? Gamma radiation of rocks, radon in soil and radon in waters

Natural radioactivity and radon

Airborne gamma-ray spectrometry by ŠGÚDŠ measures radiation from potassium, uranium and thorium in rocks and soil. Granites and some acidic volcanic rocks have the highest values, limestones and floodplains the lowest. Caesium-137 is a remnant of fallout from the Chernobyl accident and nuclear weapons tests.

Gamma radiation dose rate

31nGy/h in air

range 20 to 48 nGy/h

Natural background from rocks and soil; higher over granites and some acidic volcanic rocks, lower over limestones and floodplains.

Radon risk of the bedrock

medium

Radon is a natural gas from rocks. The risk concerns buildings and cellars, not the water in the stream; it shows what the bedrock is like.

Equivalent thorium (eTh)eTh4.72 ppm4th percentile
Equivalent uranium (eU)eU1.65 ppm4th percentile
Potassium (K)K0.750 %percentile 3

dot: average along the water line, line: from the lowest to the highest value, scale: position among sample points on streams in Slovakia (0 to 100th percentile)

Areal activity of 137CsCS1372,137 Bq/m²percentile 73

Radon risk by isopleths

medium100%SR 64 %

marker on the bar: share among all sample points on streams in Slovakia

Radon in waters

Radiohydrochemical sampling of springs, wells and watercourses: radon activity concentration in water. The bar shows the highest measured value for each kind of site.

source15.3 Bq/l · median 3.64 Bq/l · 8 samples
stream, river9.04 Bq/l · median 9.04 Bq/l · 1 sample
free-flowing borehole4.06 Bq/l · median 4.06 Bq/l · 1 sample
developed spring3.90 Bq/l · median 3.90 Bq/l · 1 sample
free-flowing borehole with thermal and mineral water3.00 Bq/l · median 3.00 Bq/l · 1 sample
water source for individual supply2.75 Bq/l · median 2.75 Bq/l · 1 sample

Contaminated sites, landfills and landslides

What in the surroundings can harm the water? Contaminated sites, waste landfills, anthropogenic sediments and slope deformationsContaminated sites and landfills5Landslides2

Contaminated sites, landfills and anthropogenic sediments

Recorded contaminated sites (industrial sites, landfills, mining), the register of waste landfills and monitoring of anthropogenic sediments (industrial sludge). It is a list of places, not a measurement of water pollution.

Waste landfills

HrabušiceArea120 m²Year established1989Monitoring–
990 m
HrabušiceArea840 m²Year established1990Monitoring–
1.1 km
BetlanovceArea100 m²Year established1990Monitoring–
1.6 km
Spišský Štiavnik – pri kaštieli – Spišský ŠtiavnikArea120 m²Year established1960Monitoring–
2.6 km
Spišský ŠtiavnikArea5 000 m²Year established1970Monitoring–
3.0 km

Landslides and slope deformations

Register of documented slope deformations (Geofond). Landslides by a stream can bring fine material into the water, change the bed and dam the channel.

Types of deformations

Landslides2×

Degree of activity

Potenciálny2×

Current state

SD taken from archival materials, ktorá bola konfrontova2×

The Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise) at a glance

Today on the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Average of the watercourse's fishing districts

Best window today

Map and fishing districts of the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Watercourse Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise) in 3D

Channel cross-section

Water area and volume by level

Bed and bedrock

Fish and catches on the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Game species recorded in the fishing district

Anglers' catches

Water conditions on the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Organisations and districts on the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Water pollution on the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Surface water near the fishing districtsnearest SHMÚ monitoring site, 2025

Problematic treatment plants near the fishing districts1 treatment plant within 2 km of the fishing district

Groundwater: measured valuestypical value from stations within 10 km, 2025

Terrain and satellite images of the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Elevation profile of the watercourse

Historical images

More watercourses near the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise)

Biely potok (NP Slovak Paradise)

Vernársky potok

Lesnica (NP Slovak Paradise)

Gánovský potok

Bystrá

VN Palcmanská Maša

Geology and geochemistry of the Veľká Biela Voda (NP Slovak Paradise) stream

Geology at a glance and a map of the zone

Rock under the water

Water according to the atlas

Elements in river sediment

Heat underfoot

Natural gamma radiation

Old mine workings

Gold in river sediment

Trace elements in the stream water

Boreholes and groundwater analyses

Geothermal energy

Contaminated sites and landfills

Deposits and ore occurrences

Landslides and slope deformations

Map of the zone

How to read these data

Rocks, groundwater and landscape

Geological structure beneath the water

Geological age of the rocks

Most common rock units

Quaternary cover

Tectonic division

Neotectonic units

Direction of neotectonic movements

Regional geological division

Regional geological division (subunits)

Engineering-geological districts

Engineering-geological formations

Susceptibility of the area to slope deformations

Hydrogeology: aquifers and groundwater

Aquifer rocks (hydrogeological map 1:200,000)

Aquifer type

Type of permeability (basic hydrogeological map 1:50,000)

Hydrogeological function

Main hydrogeological region

Genetic type of groundwater

Chemical type of groundwater

Groundwater quality class

Relief, climate and soils

Geomorphological units

Geomorphological regions

Climatic-geographical types

Susceptibility of soils to acidification

Soil contamination (map 1:500,000)

Lithogeochemical types

Geophysical fields: magnetics and gravity

Magnetic anomaly

Bouguer gravity anomaly

Chemistry of water and river sediments

Surface water chemistry according to the atlas

Water acidity