“Reka Lom” (Lom River) is the new protected area, announced by order of the Minister of Environment and Water Borislav Sandov. The decision was made in order to protect the river and its adjacent areas, improve its hydromorphological condition, restore the ecological river ecosystem and maintain habitats of species of high conservation importance.

There are mainly several species of fish, including: Cobitis elongata, Sabanejewia balcanica, Barbatula barbatula, Romanogobio uranocopus, Romanogobio kesslerii, Rodeus amarus, Gobio cf. obtusirostris. Placing the territory under protection will also help to protect the oval river mussel (Unio Crassus) and the crayfish (Astacus astacus). The new protected area is also characterized by remarkable landscapes, including those achieved as a result of the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.

The area is located within the lands of the villages of Traikovo and Staliyska Mahala (in Lom Municipality), Vasilovtsi, Dondukovo, Kriva Bara, Knyazheva Mahala and Dubova Mahala (Brusartsi Municipality), Asparuhovo (Medkovets Municipality), Dinkovo, Topolovets, Belo Pole, Drazhintsi, Pleshivets, and Ruzhintsi (Ruzhintsi municipality), as well as in the land of Janyovets (Dimovo municipality). The total area of ​​the protected area is nearly 3753 acres.

In accordance with the Protected Areas Act, the construction of facilities that will prevent the migration of fish and other aquatic organisms is prohibited within the “Reka Lom” protected area. The construction of hydroelectric power stations and activities that lead to volley discharge of water and sudden changes in water temperature are also prohibited. The usual prohibitions on the search and extraction of underground resources and inert materials, the movement of vehicles, the washing of agricultural machinery in water currents and waste pollution also come into force. It is also forbidden to carry out deforestation activities, damage to natural river vegetation and the destruction of hydromorphological elements, such as meanders, islands, sleeves, sandy and gravel formations, river shores.

Within one year of the entry into force of the order, RIEW-Montana must take action to enter the protected territory into the cadastral map and registers of the respective territories. The protected area is also entered in the State Register of Protected Areas.