This morainal lake, or tarn, in the basin below Lomnica peak is probably the one to have most suffered from man's interventions in the mountains. As a consequence of various building work, including the construction of a cablecar system, an observatory and a hotel, the moraine has been disturbed, resulting in a seepage of the tarn's waters into it. The lake's ability to retain water has been impaired, with the result that Skalnaté pleso (originally 4.2 metres deep and 1.23 hectares in size) is now turning into a mire. As the building work mentioned suggests, the tarn has become a small centre for tourism, mountaineering and science. There is also in the near vicinity a notable skiing venue which has hosted, among other events, the World Cup in the Nordic disciplines, and whose elevation of 1,751 metres makes it possible for the winter season to be prolonged into the late spring months. The tarn is currently the focus of intense monitoring aimed at its preservation.