Nine geological sites surveyed in the Abava Valley and Kandava as part of the Geosites project

During the survey, the coordinates of all sites were verified, their condition was assessed, measurements were taken, photographs were captured, and site inspection forms were completed. The collected information will be used to supplement and refine the geological site database.

The surveyed sites included Greiļu Hill Lime-rich Spring, Greiļu Hill Staburags and Large Lime-rich Spring, Ružēni Spring, the upper, middle and lower waterfalls of the Šķeperu Stream, as well as Drubazu Spring, Čužu Bog Sulphur Spring and Devils eye Spring.

The surveyed sites reflect the geological diversity of the area – from lime-rich springs and tufa formations to small waterfalls located in steep and difficult-to-access ravines. Particularly notable is Greiļu Hill Staburags and Large Lime-rich Spring, where lime-rich spring water flowing down the slope of the Abava Valley has deposited tufa, forming an approximately 14-metre-high terraced tufa outcrop. It is one of the most impressive formations of this type in Latvia.

The survey also documented other geologically and culturally significant sites. Three small waterfalls were surveyed in the Šķeperu Stream ravine, while Čužu Bog Sulphur Spring has been mentioned in various literature sources for more than a century, and a health resort once operated nearby. Devils eye Spring is a protected geological and geomorphological natural monument.

Within the “Geosites” project, geological sites in Kurzeme are being identified and assessed in order to support their protection, conservation and future accessibility. The compiled information will be included in a joint geological site database, which will serve as a useful resource for municipalities, environmental guides and other stakeholders working with the study, protection and promotion of geological heritage.

The GEOSITES project is co-financed by the Interreg Latvia–Lithuania Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2021–2027 and represents a strategic effort to strengthen cross-border collaboration in geological heritage conservation.