The Association of Industry and Nature Protection (APOP) initiated and organised a project to both revitalise the lake and draw the attention of local people to its flora and fauna. The APOP established the team that consisted of a broad range of experts: engineers, ecologists, hygienists, municipal representatives and other partners that were willing to financially support the project. Two parallel actions were taken by the APOP:
- Experts were encouraged to design the revitalisation project.
- Sponsors who might financially or personally contribute to the project were attracted.
The total cost of the project was USD 480,000, of which a half was granted by the local municipality and half from the APOP and other sponsors. The revitalisation project was conducted between 1994 – 1996.
The main question was how to revitalise the lake with a minimum disturbance of local settlement. The proposed solution was to use a special vacuum vehicle operated by divers. During the first phase of revitalisation works, the divers step-by-step siphoned the contaminated sediments away from the lake and pumped them into tankers. The sludge was transported into the waste water treatment plant of Slovnaft – the Slovak refinery company and one of the partners of the project.
The second phase of the project was to modify the lake banks and a surrounding park with appropriate vegetation. The lake bank was covered by 600 m3 of quarry stone. The edge of the lake was braced with 2,000 m3 of gravel stone. The immediate vicinity of the lake was turned into a park with trees, foliage plants, and bushes. A children play areas was created, as well as benches for parents. The educational notice boards were installed to inform visitors about the history of the lake, the importance of the lake fauna and flora, the protection activities that have been carried out, as well as the rules and regulations for visitors.
Botanists were invited to the project to assess the negative impacts of macrophytes that reduced the aesthetic value of the lake. The task was how to ensure an optimal vegetation regime in the lake. An annual harvesting of water flowers as a source of biomass (suitable for composting) was the chosen solution.
An integral part of the project was to establish water quality monitoring. Local authorities decided to implement regular biological and chemical monitoring of the lake.
In addition, the APOP and Ruzinov municipality cooperated with the local fish association to form the “Flipper Club”. The club regulates fishing activities on the lake as well as renting out fishing kits, boats and water bicycles.