The Jahorina Olympic Center has unveiled an ambitious plan to construct a water supply system for the Igrišta ski center, aiming to enable artificial snowmaking for all ski trails and enhance the center’s water supply infrastructure. This project marks a significant step towards improving the facilities and service quality at the ski center.
According to the Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment for the project, the Igrišta ski center was originally built as an auxiliary ski resort during the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. However, no major upgrades or renovations have taken place since then. Following the Jahorina Olympic Center’s acquisition of the facility, plans were initiated for revitalizing ski trails, upgrading ski infrastructure, and implementing an artificial snowmaking system.
PHASED DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The urban development strategy outlines expansions in accommodation capacity and the introduction of various new amenities to boost tourism and economic activity in the Igrišta ski center and the broader Vlasenica municipality. The artificial snowmaking project, covering all ski trails and the beginner slope, is being executed in two phases. Currently, construction work is underway for Phase I.
The primary objective of the project is to establish a reliable and efficient water supply system for a reservoir dedicated to snowmaking. A portion of this water will also serve the ski center’s general water needs.
The proposed water source is the Odžaci spring of the Studeni Jadar river, with an expected supply capacity of 10–15 liters per second for snowmaking and around 5 liters per second for local water consumption. The reservoir for snowmaking is designed to hold 30,000 cubic meters, with an additional 500 cubic meters allocated for residential and commercial water use.
PROJECT COMPONENTS
The system comprises several key components:
Water Intake: Water will be drawn from the Odžaci spring using an intake structure located beneath an existing intake for the Gornji Zalukovik 2 mini hydropower plant (0.35 MW).
Sedimentation Basin: A facility to remove sediments from the water supply.
Gravity Pipeline: A pipeline connecting the intake to the sedimentation basin and pump station.
Pumping Station: Pumps will transfer water to the reservoir, supplying both snowmaking operations and the local water network.
Reservoir: A central reservoir with a booster pump station for local water supply and hospitality services.
Supporting Infrastructure: Auxiliary facilities and installations to support the system.
LOCATION AND BACKGROUND
Situated on Mount Javor, the Igrišta ski center was named after the mountain’s highest peak, which stands at 1,406 meters above sea level. Conveniently located on the main road between Zvornik and Sarajevo, it lies between Vlasenica and Han Pijesak. The center boasts three ski trails and a beginner slope, totaling approximately 5 kilometers. Its slopes, known for their long snow retention during winter and runs extending over 2 kilometers, are served by one large and two smaller ski lifts.
After a major renovation, Igrišta ski center reopened in August 2024, with its first winter season commencing on December 26, 2024.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
The Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction, and Ecology of Republika Srpska has announced that the Jahorina Olympic Center has submitted a request for a preliminary environmental impact assessment for the water supply system project. Interested parties can review the proposal on the Ministry’s website and submit feedback within 15 days of the announcement’s publication on January 13, 2025. Comments and suggestions can be sent to the Ministry’s office in Banja Luka or via email at n.sofilj@mgr.vladars.rs.
The environmental study is being conducted by the JNU Institute for Protection and Ecology of Republika Srpska in Banja Luka.
Source: eKapija