Vodopad Prskalo

Useful Information

Location:	Židilje. From Resavica ist a 14 km drive east on a single lane gravel road through a remote valley. (43.9962159, 21.7122979)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Tufa Deposits Growing Rock
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Vodopad Prskalo, Zidilje, Despotovac, Tel: +381-16-3592557.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

Водопад Прскало or Vodopad Prskalo (Prskalo Waterfall) is a spectacular tufa deposit, a growing rock which forms a protrusion with a waterfall at the end. The water emerges from a karst spring only 50 m uphill, and forms a tributary of the Некудово or Nekudovo river. This deposit is quite spectacular, as there is not a series of small steps, there is a single chanel on top of a rather thin wall, where the water flows to the end to fall down. The wall continually grows, but onl in length not in width. If there is an overhang at the front, it might collapse, but normally it simply grows forward.

To make it clear: this waterfall is a result of the combination of limestone rich water, the slope of the valley, and the yield of the spring. If someone destroyed the tufa deposit, for example, by mining it, it would slowly regrow. This would take hundreds or probably a few thousand years, but it would be quite fast for a geological process. The whole structure in its current form has formed in less than 10.000 years since the last ice ige.

Tufa deposits are quite common in karst, actually they can be found at each karst spring, but interesting deposits with waterfalls are rare, and such spectacular forms are very rare. This is the only waterfall of its kind in Serbia, although we know of several similar worldwide.

Unfortunately, this site is developed with wooden benches and an educational sign, but the access is not developed at all. The road is a forestry road, it is definitely single lane and gravel, and it is 14 km from the next city. As far as we know, it's possible to drive there, both from the legal side, the road is not closed, and from the technical view. Nevertheless, it requires a suitable car, 4WD is not required but helpful, ground clearance is required.