Apuseni Natural Park

The Natural Park is located in western Romania in the central-northern side of the Apuseni Mountains, comprising part of the Bihor Mountains to the south and to the north. It is situated on the administrative territory of 16 communes, which include 53 localities fully and 8 others partially. The Park features 3 resorts: Boga, Fântânele, and Vârtop. == Natural reserves ==

The Apuseni Natural Park with an area of was declared natural protected area by the Law Number 5 of March 6, 2000 (published in the Monitorul Oficial of Romania, Number 152 of April 12, 2000) and represents a mountainous area (mountain peaks, cirques, caves, valleys, karst areas, forests, and pastures), with flora and fauna specific to the Western Carpathians. Natural reserves included in the park: • Alba County • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • Scărișoara Cave, • Bihor County • '''', • ''Bears' Cave'', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • '''', • Cluj County • '''', ==Rivers and lakes==

near Scărișoara The surface waters of the Apuseni Natural Park belong to the hydrographic basins of the rivers: • Arieșul Mare and its tributaries, Gârda Seacă, , and Cobleș. • Someșul Mic and its left headwater, the Someșul Cald, together with the latter's tributaries, , , Beliș, , , , Valea Izbucului, and Călineasa. • Crișul Negru and its tributaries, Crișul Pietros (together with its headwater, , and its tributaries, Valea Mare Cărpinoasa and ) and Crișul Băița (together with its tributaries, and Sighiștel). In the northern part of the park, there is the , a reservoir in the Gilău Mountains, built between 1970 and 1974. Located at an altitude of , the reservoir covers an area of and has a volume of of water. It was formed after the damming of the Someșul Cald downstream of its confluence with the Beliș stream; the dam has a height of and a length of . From the reservoir, the water is diverted through a tunnel to the turbines of the Mărișelu Hydroelectric Power Station. == References ==