The object of study is to analyze the size of the components of the water balance in irrigated river valleys micro-catchments of diverse habitats. The study used the results of research and field observations from the years 2010–2012. Carried out investigations of two small lowland catchments indicate significant impact of meteorological conditions as well as habitats on runoff index, retention changes in analyzed hydrological years. Catchment ditch K-2 is located in Piwonia river basin, and ditch the Z-6 is located in Bystrzyca river basin. The highest rates occurred in the first half of the outflow year 2009/10, and have been associated with heavy rainfall. They were almost three times higher than in an average year 2011/12. This balance is particularly true of the flatness of the terrain impedes drainage and reduced absorbency that especially during the spring excesses can not store large amounts of water. The catchment ditch Z-6 observed changes in retention were significantly higher than in the catchment ditch K-2, due to the different soil cover and other land uses. Studies have confirmed the dominant role of surface evaporation in the water balance. This is evidenced by the lower outflows in the first half year compared to the first half of the winter and fall in retention.

Hydropower resources are regionally and are differentiated periodically. They depend on natural or regulated flows and water levels and factors causing their periodic changes, fouling and icing the river bed. The main problem of working hydropower in the winter is creating a ice form restricting the flow water to the intake inlets. Beginning of the freezing period depends on meteorological factors, air temperature, snowfall, associated with the operation of water facilities, temperature, water discharges and usage of floating baffles in areas where the water has the lowest speed. The article presents an analysis of the parameters used in the assessment of energy resources of rivers. To determine the prevalence of forms and periods of ice phenomena used historical hydrological data, and reduction factors determined by analyzing water levels and flows. Winter reduction factor is calculated by riverbed bandwidth curves, referring to winter flows obtained from the baseline curve. Analyses include selected sections of lowland rivers, where ice cover has occurred causing changes in the major hydroelectric curves.

The main aim of this study was the analysis of land use of pond’s basin on the quality water in pond. The subject of the study was the small reservoir in Zelków. The paper presents the results of field studies carried out in 2008–2011. The basis for research water samples were collected regularly, at monthly intervals. The collected material was subjected to laboratory tests using generally common analytical methods. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis. The obtained results allow to conclude that the land use of catchment is one of the key factors influencing water quality. Small water reservoirs located in rural areas are often highly contaminated, especially in terms of the concentrations of phosphate and ammonium nitrogen or salinity.

Research on the effect of deep tillage on physical and water properties of compacted arable soils were conducted on arable lands located in Wojnowice in the raciborski county of the Silesia province (Poland). Two pits were made during the field works (on the field with and without deep tillage), which were then described in detail. Soils of undisturbed and disturbed structure were sampled from individual soil horizons. Soil permeability tests were conducted by each of the two pits. Granulometric composition, moisture content, humus content and characteristic soil densities were assessed in a laboratory and total porosity was computed. Analysis of the research results allowed to state that the applied deep loosening of soil lessivés using a plough affected a decrease in bulk density and increase in total porosity and soil permeability. Also an improvement of air-water relationships occurred, the proportion of gaseous phase increased whereas the share of liquid phase diminished. Conducted research demonstrated that even 20 months after the application of agromelioration measures, a positive effect on the use of the soil retentive potential is noticeable, which may result in alleviating the outcomes of droughts or floods.

Basic chemical and geotechnical properties of an ash-slag mixture from Skawina Power Plant were tested in a dam model, which was built in a medium-sized apparatus for testing the filtration through the embankment models. Piezometers in the apparatus allowed taking samples of the upper water, lower water and water filtrating throughout the dam. Tap water was used in the experiment model, which due to the localization was Krakow city water. Chemical properties were examined for water samples taken after a day and twenty five days of the experiment. From geotechnical properties following were tested: grain size distribution, uniformity coefficient, natural moisture content, wet bulk density, dry density of solid particles, optimum moisture content, maximum dry density of solid particles and permeability coefficient. Soils were classified according to the following standards: PN-B-02481:1998 and PKN-CEN ISO/TS 17892-4:2009. Additionally filtration curve was drawn. Embankment material, due to its geotechnical parameters, very easily succumbed to a suffusion phenomenon. Measured volumetric flows were in the range of 1700–2500 cm³ · hour^–1. After a day and again after twenty five days following chemical prosperities of each water (upper, lower, filtrating throughout the embankment material) were tested: conductance, reaction, metal contents (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ca, K, Mg, Na). Leaching conditions in the experiment were different from those assumed in a standard [Rozporządzenie…1999], however they were much closer to the ones on the borderline of ecosystem and water construction. It was stated that the tested ash-slag mixture has an influence on the tap water used in experiment, particularly in case of reaction, conductance and metals contents (mainly Na, K, Ca and Mg). Determined sodium, potassium, calcium and manganese contents were higher than allowed in standards for surface and ground water [Rozporządzenie… 2011, Rozporządzenie… 2008]. Cadmium, chromium and lead contents were in narrow ranges (Cd and Cr) often below the spectrophotometer determination level. In all cases determined contents were lower than permissible levels for surface and ground water. Additionally, requirements for substances, which are allowed to be put in water or ground were fulfilled [Rozporządzenie… 2011, Rozporządzenie… 2008, Rozpozrądzenie… 2006].

The purpose of this article is to analyse the changes in agricultural land use for nonagricultural purposes in Russia and Poland. In the beginning the definition of agricultural land was given, which is in force in Poland and Russia. We analysed existing procedures related to land use change in both countries. It also provides specific cases and the rules by which in Russian Federation it is possible to change the destination of lands, as well as describes the administrative procedure which precedes an administrative decision in this matter. The article also lists cases in which Poland on agricultural land use for non-agricultural purposes requires the approval of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and the situations in which the approval is not required.

Multiannual observations of the chemical composition of a Palaeogene (flysch) water aquifer in the Beskid Sądecki point to very good and good water quality in the area. This is mainly due to the land use and management as well as the presence of naturally protected groundwater recharge areas. In many parts of the Beskid Sądecki the groundwater co-occurs with therapeutic waters. For that reason the good quality of groundwater is essential in shaping the chemistry of therapeutic waters. The hydrochemical characteristics presented in the article was based on the results of physical-chemical analyzes of the groundwater performed in the Central Chemical Laboratory of the Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute (PIG-PIB).

A methodical approach to solving some problems of transformation analysis and migration of some pollutants is proposed. It is outlined how, when analyzing given pollution source and their path to receiver, deal with lack of data, using existing statistical information, data from water register, and also how to distribute existing year’s data among individual months. Method has been illustrated by an example for chosen water basin.

The study aims to analyze the statistical probability of the slowing down of the plant debris flow through an area rich in shrub vegetation during floods. The shrub density has a direct influence on water velocity. The study was conducted in a 2-meter section of an artificial hydraulic flume. 15 tests were made for each of the different-shaped elements. The artificial elements used were either rectangular or elliptical in shape. Tests were conducted for three different spacings of cylindrical elements imitating the shrub vegetation and for three different depths of the hydraulic flume. Analysis of the test results leads to the conclusion that an increase in the density of cylindrical elements does not always cause an increase in the flow time of plant debris. The study also shows that an increase in the water depth causes an increase in the flow time of elements imitating the thick debris, which is due to a decrease in the water flow velocity. The study also presents an analysis of the probability of plant debris being detained by the cylindrical elements imitating the shrubs. This probability was observed to be higher for rectangular than elliptical elements. It was also observed to be inversely proportional to the water depth. The obtained results indicate that the subject matter of the current study is very interesting and complex and merits further investigation.

In this paper aspects of bed load movement in rivers are presented. Because of the its overview character and wide matter raised, the paper is divided in to two parts. In the first part the bed load characteristic and division are presented. The beginning of the grain movement in aspects of shear stress, the Shield’s criteria with different grain shape and diversified grains exhibition to moving force are presented. Authors give an attention to the Shield’s curve ambiguous connected with different grain movement, grain expose to moving force. Because of this approach the range of the Shield’s curve apply is larger. In this paper the ranges of stress as the limit of grain stability/movement taking into consideration of blocking small grains are presented.

Refer to the article’s part I the bed load start moving in this paper is described. The paper includes discussion of boundary velocities for example the unscouring velocity – the highest velocity when bed load grains are still stable. Formulas that are presented are formed by different authors taking into consideration different bed load characteristics and water flow conditions. In this part of the article formulas for the bed load transport intensity determination and the criteria of grain start moving significance are presented.

Increasing urbanization processes in the suburban areas of large Polish cities are possible thanks to the liberal spatial policies adopted by the neighboring rural and urban-rural municipalities. Spatial development is closely linked to many other systems, including wastewater management. Planned spatial development should be accompanied by the development of wastewater systems, to correspond to the real current and future needs of the residents. The study confronted two development scenarios for Żórawina municipality. Estimated changes in the number of inhabitants, resulting from demographic trends and spatial policy, were compared with investments related to the implementation of the National Program for Municipal Wastewater Treatment. The conducted analysis revealed that enlargement of the sewage treatment plant significantly exceeds the needs of the households at the moment, as well as future needs according to a constant increase in the number of inhabitants of the municipality. However, investments in capacity of the sewage treatment plant are not sufficient to scenario of spatial policy. No coordination of development policies in these areas was observed.

Established by an act of the local law water–use conditions of water regions that are documents which aim to detail the arrangements approved by the Council of Ministers on 22 February 2011, the Water Management Plans within the Wisła, the Dunaj and the Dniester river basins. The main objective of the development of the water–use conditions of water regions is to create tools to support the achievement of designated in the water management plan (in accordance with the Water Framework Directive) environmental objectives related to water protection and detailing guidelines to issue administrative decisions, setting the scope and form of water use. Water–use conditions of water region, according to the scope specified in Art. 115, Paragraph 1 of The Water Act, define inter alia restrictions on the use of water in the surface water abstraction, discharge sewage into the water and making new water facilities. An important issue related to the above mentioned restrictions are hydrological calculations performed for the purposes of water use, to determine the amount of the instream flow, main flows and probable flows. This article discusses the established guidelines for the hydrological calculations, to be used when applying for a water permit for special use of water.

Flood modeling is carried out based on the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and hydrological data. The quality of the input data for modeling determines the reliability of flood risk assessment. The accuracy of the DTM is affected by the method of data acquisition and mathematical modeling errors. This paper presents a method for evaluating the impact of the accuracy of measurement and modeling based on the DTM. The analysis was performed on a hypothetical example generated by statistical methods. This method can be used to analyze various aspects of precision in creating DTMs.

The investigated peat-bog of area 130 ha is located at the San river near Dubiecko, west of Przemyśl. Its altitude reaches 230 m a.s.l. The aim of the work is to complement of earlier documentation investigation of the peat-bog Bachórzec-Winne and stratigraphic estimation of peat deposit. The characteristic longitudinal section A–B was traced on the investigated peat deposit and 8 drillings were carried out using auger of the Instorf type. Determinations of the types, kinds and species of the analysed peat deposit was done using Tołpa et al. [1976] classification. Regarding typology, the examined peat-bog has differentiated character, because it was stated that both raised and lowland bog occurs. Decidedly prevails lowland bog and kind Magnocaricioni, species Cariceto Phragmiteti. Stratigraphic structure shows that runoff of water from the peat-bog had been dammed, what caused water lifting, inundation of the peat-bog and finally initiated creation of raised bog layer, underlain by lowland bog type.

In recent years Poland has observed climate changes, which entail several weather anomalies, particularly visible during the summer in numerous floods and inundations. The state policy based on the Directive of the European Parliament dated 23^rd October 2007 on the assessment and management of flood risks [2007/60/EC] covers extensive actions aimed at preventing floods and minimising their consequences. The most important action is the project entitled “IT System of the Country’s Protection against Extreme Hazards” (ISOK), which is executed under the patronage of GUGiK (Head Office for Geodesy and Cartography) in cooperation with KZGW (National Water Management Authority) and IMiGW (Institute of Meteorology and Water Management). The principal objective of the project is to build an electronic IT platform to serve as the main tool of crisis management. From the perspective of the subject of this paper, it is important to specify the basic elements of the platform. They include inventory and updating of the existing databases and references, and development of risk and hazard maps. The scope of this project covers the areas with the highest risk, located near the reception basins of the main rivers, omitting the less hazardous rivers and streams. The main objective of this publication is to draw attention to the need for expansion of the ISOK databases with information from areas not covered by the project but regularly flooded as a result of local inundations. This problem has been contemplated from the legal, technical, and economic perspective.

The Wrocław Floodway System was realized after the 1903-Flood, in the period 1905–1922. It had the maximal discharge capacity equal about 2300 m³ · s^–1. As important elements of this System can be qualified the polders (inundation fields) Lipki–Oława, Bliżanowice–Trestno and Oławka. A catastrophic flood appeared in 1997, with maximal discharge equal 3530 m³ · s^–1 in the Odra gauging station Brzeg Most. This flood caused the inundation of a great part of the town Wrocław, the destruction or damage of many hydrotechnic and land reclamation structures as well of bridges and embankments. The intake weir to the dumping canal Odra–Widawa was destroyed also. Many projects were realized after the 1997-Flood, concerning the modernization of the Wrocław Hydrotechnic System. The main solution was presented in the frame of the Feasibility Study for the flood reservoir Racibórz on the river Odra and the modernization of Wrocław Hydrotechnic System (2004). The design probable flows are equal 3100 m³ · s^–1 for the 1000-year flood and 1850 m³ · s^–1 for the 200-year flood. Actually the Odra River Flood Protection Project is elaborated, being the continuation of the Feasibility Study. A great flood appeared in May and July 2010 in the watershed of Odra river, with maximal discharges about 2100–2200 m³ · s^–1 in the entrance to the Wrocław Floodway System. The maximal discharges in 2010 were a little smaller than in 1903 and a little higher than in 1930. For the protection of the town Wrocław, one has decided to inundate the 3 cited polders and drop a part of Odra flood discharge to the river Widawa. The damages caused by this flood were smaller than in 1997. City quarter Kozanów was inundated once more. Some embankments were damaged, for ex. the dam of the polder Lipki–Oława. The high stages appeared especially in the Odra river upstream of Wrocław. The maximal stages in the gauging stations Brzeg Most and Oława in 2010 were comparable to the maximal values in 1997, despite of much lower maximal discharges. This phenomenon was caused by the decrease of potential discharge of the river, mainly by river bed sedimentation and by development of vegetation.

The investigations was to recognize the elements of the railway line on the airborne point clouds and using this type of studies in Engineering Geodesy. The object was elaborate on the part of the railway line in the Bochnia City. Such works contains an overview of LiDAR technology and an airborne laser scanning, the identification of the elements of the railway from the point clouds line, fulfil the requirements of precision, which confirmed control measurements. Next discusses how to present point clouds by imposition texture from a aerial photography.

Tourists and pilgrims are visiting wonderful water spring in Górka Klasztorna for years. Marian sanctuary in Górka is located in Wielkopolska, central Poland. History of apparitions and also spring exploitation dating back to the 11^th century. The research area is built from Quaternary deposits, what forms groundwater chemical type. This is the result of the continental glacier (north-Polish glaciation). The dominant multiaquifer formations are Quaternary and Tetriary. Wonderful water is mineral water (1104,3 mg ∙ dm^–3), with a slightly alkaline pH (7,51 pH) and oxidizing conditions (Eh +208 mV). Water is a calcium-bicarbonate chemical type (Ca-HCO₃ ). In this paper attention is paid to the content of calcium ions (226,6 mg ∙ dm^–3) and bicarbonate ions (619,7 mg ∙ dm^–3). Included an increased concentration strontium (0,35 mg ∙ dm^–3), iron (0,37 mg ∙ dm^–3) and manganese ions (0,11 mg ∙ dm^–3). Wonderful water for its medicinal properties assisted by the acidity, diabetes, metabolism and keeps normal heart function.

Hydraulic data of the Indus River, downstream of Kotri Barrage dam are analyzed. An attempt has been made to determine the dominant discharge, which is defined as that discharge which over a long time period transports the most sediments and could be used to predict the shape of river cross-section. For dominant discharge calculation Wolman and Miller’s approach has been applied. Since the transport of sediment concentration could be a more effective variable for forming the shape of the river cross-section, suspended sediment concentration has been introduced, because more than 85% of total load is in suspension. We show in the paper that water discharge Q = 1000 m³ · s^–1 of water is a frequent discharge and carries maximum sediment load. This discharge we call here the dominant discharge (Q_dd) for the Kotri dam cross section.

In the paper the results of numerical simulations of the two-dimensional flow field and potential morphological changes due to flood wave passage in the channel of Vistula River in surroundings of the Wawel castle in Cracow city were presented. For these calculations CCHE2D model was used. The special attention was paid to local variation of water surface level and shear stress distribution due to complex geometry of the low boulevard and the river channel bent. In the effect of proceeded analysis, regions of strong erosion impact were identified. Its localization was confronted with partly documented knowledge of the low boulevard damages documented after flood from the may 2010 year. Additionally, results of qualitative analysis of channel morphology changes were presented. In this way preliminary stability of the river channel reach was evaluated. Basing on the results of numerical computations and available theoretical knowledge concerning secondary flows occurring in meandering river’s channels, the origin of local bumps in the channel bottom along the bent of the Vistula River were interpreted of going to be interpreted.

Operation of dams, especially small hydro-electric power station entails many technical problems. One of them is the deposition of material carried by the water on the grating. The task is purpose of the grating is the water pump or turbine against solid contaminants flowing with the water. When selecting the grating it is important to determine the hydraulic losses, which depend inter alia on the width, shape and spacing of lattice bars, and the water flow rate. The total amount of loss can be defined taking into account: the input losses, losses on trellises, the losses caused by the presence of side cavities. These losses can increase when organic material carried by the flow of water accumulates on the trellises and increases the speed and flow resistance. The paper analyzes the hydraulic losses and demonstrates the impact on trellises of the deposited organic material.

This article assesses the flood risk in the area of Cracow agglomeration. The most important courses having influence on the flood risk, were taken in to the consideration. The evaluation was based on the hydrological calculations and the hydrodynamic modeling of wave transformation in their river bed. The final risk assessment was a characterization of critical areas in which the most flood losses arise. It has been shown that the current security status in Cracow doesn’t assure an adequate level of security. Delay of outflow with use different form of small retention, reparation of drainage facilities, conservation of urban streams and building of dykes decreasing of flood risk into of Cracow agglomeration

The main problem analysed in this paper is the impact of sediment accumulation and vegetation growth on transport of dissolved substances in a river. The system studied is the reach of the Warta River located upstream of the Jeziorsko Reservoir inlet. The three processes, namely sediment deposition, vegetation growth, and pollutant transport, are crucial for the functionality of reservoir. Classical HEC-RAS package is used for the reconstruction of steady flow conditions in the river reach. The transport of admixture is simulated by means of convection – dispersion model with additional elements describing storage of solutes in the floodplains. The results that the degree of maximum concentration decreases as the river bed geometry and vegetation cover are changed.

Losses of water and nutrients in drip irrigation system of greenhouse rose cultivation in peat substrate were presented in the paper. The outflows were measured using calibrated vessel method, on three dates when 2 or 3 irrigation cycles with various doses were applied. Moreover, the following laboratory assessments were made using reference methods in the averaged samples of nutrient solution and leachates: concentrations of 8 nutrients N–NH₄⁺, N–NO₂^–, N–NO₃ ^–, PO₄ ^3–, K⁺, SO₄ ^2–, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺. On the basis of measured leachate volumes and their nutrient concentrations, and basing on the volumes and concentrations of nutrients in nutrient solution supplied to the plants, computed were respectively loads supplied to and removed from the system, whereas the percent of nutrient losses was calculated from their ratio. Analysis of the research results revealed a high diversification of the leachate outflow volume depending on the amount of watering or daily dose and due to the number of cycles realized during the day. The paper demonstrated potential of decreasing water losses in the irrigation system, which depending on the calculation variant, under the experimental conditions ranged from 21.6 to 99.8%. An increase in concentrations of Mg²⁺, SO₄ ^2–, K⁺, and N–NO₂^– was also stated in comparison with the nutrient solution supplied to the plants, i.e. a phenomenon of so called condensation of leachates was observed. Due to this phenomenon, on average the highest, between 70 and 90% quantitative losses were noted for the same 4 nutrients. However, it should be emphasized that quantitative losses of nutrients occurred on each date of research and to various extent concerned all analyzed nutrients.

In the article the possible conflict between the two basic functions of groundwater imposed by EU directives: drinking water supply and environmental role, is indicated. Environmental Water Requirements to maintain good ecological status of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems mean the same as environmental flow in the case of rivers. The Polish proposals of the environmental flow definitions and methodologies for its value identification are presented. These proposals are intended to increase the environmental flow rate to the value which corresponds to groundwater outflow. This means in practice that the renewable resources of groundwater are reduced to zero. The idea of groundwater environmental flow is proposed. The main aims of groundwater environmental flow are protecting the groundwater resources against the overexploitation and the groundwater table against permanent dropping in the areas of Groundwater Dependent Terrestrial Ecosystems.

Rounding out the field research and analysis of the available source material can be an interactive web application that presents collected data and elaborated analysis. Thematic, interactive and free access web application as educational material can affect the growth of awareness of the population and the development of appropriate attitudes and social responsibility for the local natural environment. The purpose of this paper is to present characteristics and analysis of selected techniques and tools for creating web applications. Web applications are a special kind of software. Their tasks are processed on a locally computer or on a server and delivered to the user via the Internet. The basic premise of the research was to create from scratch a sample web application, the function of which is an interactive presentation of the characteristics of water reservoirs Jeziorzany and Wołowice (Małopolska province) and theirs catchment area.