Kladinský potok

Kladinský potok is a small but ecologically important nature reserve in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, in the Pelhřimov district near the village of Častonín. The protected area covers just under 7 hectares along a naturally meandering stream that forms a left-bank tributary of the Jankovský potok. The reserve lies roughly half a kilometre west of the tiny settlement of Kladiny, right at the southern edge of the extensive Horní Kladinský rybník (Upper Kladinský Pond).

Why is this stream protected?

The area was granted protected status in 1993, primarily to preserve the natural, unmodified course of the streambed together with the wet meadows that line its banks. It is exactly this combination — a winding channel untouched by human regulation and species-rich riparian vegetation — that gives the site its high ecological value today. Much of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands lost this kind of natural watercourse to channelization and drainage works over the past century, so surviving fragments like this one are treated as remnants of the region's original landscape.

The last refuge of the freshwater pearl mussel

The single most notable feature of Kladinský potok is the presence of the freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera), a critically endangered species extremely sensitive to water quality and streambed condition. Together with the neighbouring Jankovský potok, this stretch of water is considered the last known locality where the species survives anywhere in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. Pearl mussels require clean, well-oxygenated water and a stable, gravel-and-sand bottom, which means their presence also serves as a reliable indicator of the stream's overall ecological health.

Landscape and vegetation

Species-rich wet meadows stretch along both banks of the stream, typical of small watercourse valleys in this part of the country. The meandering flow creates a varied mosaic of habitats — from shallow, faster-flowing sections to calmer bends where silt and sand accumulate. This diversity of microhabitats benefits not only the mussels but also numerous invertebrates and amphibians tied to aquatic and riparian environments.

Neighbouring the Upper Kladinský Pond

The reserve borders the Horní Kladinský rybník, one of the larger water bodies in this part of the Vysočina region. The proximity of the calm pond surface to the dynamic, winding natural stream creates an interesting landscape contrast within a very small area.

Getting there and what to know before visiting

Kladinský potok lies in a quiet, sparsely populated part of the Pelhřimov district, away from major tourist routes, which makes it a good spot for undisturbed nature observation. As with any nature reserve, visitors should keep to marked paths and avoid disturbing the streambed and its bankside vegetation.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Kladinský potok reserve protect? The natural, meandering course of the stream together with its surrounding wet meadows and the population of the endangered freshwater pearl mussel.

Since when has the area been protected? The reserve has held protected status since 1993.

How large is the reserve? It covers an area of just under 7 hectares.

What makes this place special? Along with the neighbouring Jankovský potok, it is the last known site where the freshwater pearl mussel survives in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands.