The Danube Delta

The Danube Delta is situated in the eastern part of Romania, in the Tulcea county.

The Danube Delta has the third ecological significance among the 300 UNESCO reserves in the world. Through UNESCO resolution of 02.02.1999, the Danube Delta reserve received the international certificate of  Biosphere Reserve.

The Danube Delta has a surface of 5.640 km²,  the second largest delta in Europe. The surface that is included in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (D.D.B.R.) is of 4.178 km², only 3.446 km² of which are on Romanian territory.

The Razim-Sinoe lagoon system is also included in the Danube Delta and it comprises Razim, Golovita, Zmeica and Sinoe lakes. About the Lake Razim`s name there are more variants: its name comes from that of the Russian orthodox of old rite revolutionist Stepan Razim that was killed on the lake`s borders. The name of Razelm was used by the Turks to designate this lake.

The Danube Delta was formed at the Danube river mouth that flows in the Black Sea. The river is the second in length in Europe after the Volga and it springs from the Black Forest Mountains (Schwarzwald) in Germany and travels 2.860 km until its river mouth, crossing 17 countries. Due to the mud deposits carried by the river, the delta`s surface has grown in time (it grows with 40 m per year), most of its relief is formed of channels, lakes, sand dunes.

On the Tulcea county territory the Danube flows in the Black Sea through three river branches: Kilia in the north that has a length of 115 km, a depth of 39 m and the Tulcea Branch (19 km in length) that is divided at the Sulina Ceatal in two: Sulina Branch, 64 km length and 26 m depth that traverses the middle of the delta and Saint George`s Branch (64 km in length, 26 m in depth) in the south.

In the Danube Delta are included secondary branches, streams and man-made channels:  Rusca, Litcov, Uzlina, Macovei, Imputita, Dunavat and Dranov.

Deltaic lakes: Fortuna, Matita, Babina, Rosu (1.331 ha), Gorgova, Isacov, Puiu, Uzlina, Rosulet with medium depths between 2 – 4 m. 

Almost 80% of the delta`s surface is permanently submerged, the sand banks have a height between 2,4 and 6,5 m. The most important ones are Letea, Caraorman, Saraturile, the continental sand banks Kilia and Stipoc.

On the Danube Delta`s territory winters have only 20 days with temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius. The glowing duration of the Sun is of 2.100 hours per year, among the highest in the country.

This wild water region will make you discover many amazing things.

The inimitable Danube Delta`s flora is developed on different levels, the most widely spread are the white water lily (Castalia alba), the yellow water lily (Nuphar luteum). The riverside plants as the reed – the biggest reed surfaces in the world (240.000 ha) and bulrush that dominate, but also the forget-me-not (Myositis palustris).

The ecosystems found on Danube Delta`s territory are unique in the world, the most interesting are the sand dunes from Letea and Caraorman partially covered with a tropical vegetation made from grey oak tree, ash tree, trembling poplar, elm tree and with lianas Periploca graeca, Vitis silvestris, Hedra helix that determined to declare this area as a forestry reserve.

Here is the richest ornithological fauna, 327 species. 218 species are nesting here, the rest of 109 species are migratory, nesting in the Danube Delta in autumn, winter and spring. Rare species of birds that are found here are: the curled pelican, the red stork, the big egret, the little egret, the goose with a red neck, the white eagle and the small cormorant.

Six migratory bird paths cross the Danube Delta region, a halting place for migratory birds, nesting places are found on the Bisericuta and Sahalin Islands, the nesting colonies are one of the main attractions of the Danube Delta.

The fish: fish that have big economical value like: sturgeons, starlets that contain the precious caviar. The most widely spread fish are: the perch, the wild carp, the pike perch, the sheat fish, the pike, the crucian carp, the bream, the gudgeon.

The mammals: ermines, wild cats, land turtles.

The Danube Delta has 18 natural reserves, the most important are:

Rosca-Buhaiova-Hrescica – a fauna reserve, with a surface of 15.400 ha. Its a completely protected area, accessed only by the specialists. Here nests every spring the biggest pelican colony in Europe.

Perisor-Zatoane – a fauna reserve; on a surface of 14.200 ha nest the most numerous swans.

Periteasca-Leahova – a fauna reserve in the Razim-Sinoe lagoon system  (3.900 ha) where the most populated region with coastal birds.

The „Beech Valley” Forest – in Luncavita, near Isaccea, a small relic beech area.