Krka River

The Krka River, from its source below Krška Cave to its confluence with the Sava near Brežice, is an entirely Slovenian river. Covering 93.1 km, it is the second longest river flowing exclusively within Slovenia (only the Savinja is longer). It is renowned for its unique tufa sills and picturesque waterfalls.

Headwaters and Karst Hinterland

Much like the Ljubljanica, the Krka gathers its waters from a vast Karst area. It emerges in a blind valley at Krška jama (cave). However, the majority of its water originates from sinks in Radensko polje, located 5 km away.

Suha Krajina and Tufa Formation

As it flows through Suha krajina (the Dry Region), the river carves a 10–25 m deep valley. The defining feature here is the tufa sills. Tufa (locally called lahkovec) is formed by the deposition of calcium carbonate on mosses and aquatic plants, creating porous, lightweight stone barriers.

Middle and Lower Flow

After passing through the narrow gorge near Dvor, the river enters Novo mesto, where it loops around the old town center in two dramatic bends. Further downstream at Otočec, a famous castle sits on one of the natural tufa islands. The river finally winds through the plains of Kostanjevica na Krki before joining the Sava River at Brežice.

Economic Heritage

In the 19th century, the Krka was a vital energy source for mills, sawmills, and ironworks (notably in Zagradec and Dvor). While most of these industrial monuments are now abandoned, the river remains a central hub for tourism, fly-fishing, and natural heritage preservation.