Bala Branch

The Bala Branch is a branch of the Danube River located in Călăraşi County, Romania.

Upstream of the city of Călăraşi the Danube bifurcates into two branches: the Borcea Branch to the left and the main course of the Danube to the right. The two branches reunite near the village of Giurgeni. The Bala Branch is a secondary branch uniting the two main branches.

The Bala branch leaves the main course of the Danube downstream of the village of Izvoarele and joins the Borcea Branch downstream of the village of Unirea.

The distribution of the discharges of the main branch of the Danube and the Bala Branch is a main concern for the navigation on the river. Due to the "Pârjoaia Rock", located on the right bank of the Danube, the flow is directed towards the Bala Branch and important morphologic changes of the river bed occur. At low discharges, up to 80% of the river's discharge is diverted into the Bala Branch and only 20% remains on the Danube. As a consequence, navigation on the main course of the Danube is impeded and is diverted on a route following the Bala Branch and, further downstream, the Borcea Branch. Also low flows on the main branch of the Danube has an adverse effect on the cooling water supply of the Nuclear Power Plant of Cernavoda.

Dykes and spurs are under construction to improve the situation.