Cuejdel Lake or Crucii Lake – Neamț County

Cuejdel Lake formed on the Cuiejdel stream and is Romania’s largest naturally dammed lake, located in the Stanisoarei Mountains, 25 km from Piatra Neamț, within Gârcina commune.

The lake on the Cuejdel stream was created by a massive landslide on the left-hand slope of the valley, which occurred in several stages, beginning in 1978 and culminating in 1991. The final stage formed a natural dam that blocked the entire valley, allowing a large volume of water to accumulate following the heavy rainfall during the warmer part of 1991.

Set amid peaceful fir forests in a wild landscape, with the appearance of a submerged forest, Cuejdel Lake covers 2.2 ha, is 1 km long and has a maximum depth of 16 m. Another 4 small lakes have formed downstream of Cuejdel Lake, each covering a few hundred m2; together with it, they provide a “record” for studying food chains and their development from the earliest stages of these lake ecosystems.

Photos of Cuejdel Lake

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Specialists believe these landslides were caused by human activity, when the construction of the forestry road cut through the landslide deposits at the foot of the left-hand slope. This phenomenon occurred again in 2003-2004 following the construction of the new forestry road.

The lake’s exceptional scenic beauty, geomorphological and limnological characteristics, and distinctive biodiversity demonstrate its uniqueness and importance. These qualities formed the basis for declaring Cuejdel Lake a nature reserve in 2004, allowing the area to receive special protection.

Although formed under the same conditions as Red Lake, Cuejdel Lake remains the country’s most important naturally dammed lake thanks to its distinctive features. The local authorities and the County Council are currently working to develop this wonderful gift of nature, which offers exceptional conditions for establishing a resort.