The effect of local changes in relief on hydrologic conditions in the surrounding area, with an interpretation based on the Water Law

Typical changes in surface relief resulting from earthworks include the construction of earthen and debris-type embankments and the excavation of hillslope sides. The paper places in groups and discusses local changes in the hydrologic conditions associated with these types of changes in relief and provides an interpretation of these changes in agreement with current Polish Water Law. The expected and frequent effect of earthen embankments is a rise in the groundwater level under the embankment, which may lead to the formation of a wetland in its immediate vicinity and higher groundwater levels across larger areas on the hillslope above. Some embankments redirect surface runoff from surrounding areas or block it, thus creating outflow-free depressions. Other embankments help form surface runoff that flows down from the surface of the embankment. Some embankments are secured with solid walls that yield a variety of unique hydrodynamic effects. In many cases, the levelling of terrain for construction purposes is accompanied by the undercutting of hillslopes, the effects of which are also noted in the paper. Yet another issue is the susceptibility of embankments to gravity-driven mass movements, especially mudslides and landslides. The excessive weight of an embankment may also cause landslides in the embankment’s base formations

Seasonal variation of lead in fish pond waters of high hunting activity area and relation to metals and ions

Anthropogenic activities such as industry, agriculture, and daily life are related to metal pollution of the environment. Places known of the highest impact are fishponds where intensive fish farming is believed to input a significant amount of various elements to water. Additionally, many studies suspect wetland hunting activity of water lead pollution. The present paper aims to check if hunting is a significant source of lead (Pb) in water as well as to study the temporal trends of numerous parameters (pH, SEC, Cd, Cu, Zn, Ca, Mg, Na, K, NH4+, HCO(3)(−), SO(4)(2−), Cl(−), NO(3)(−), F(−)) in ponds (n = 48) and inflow (n = 24) waters near Zator in southern Poland, Europe. Most concentrations were measured with ion chromatography and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Lead concentrations in pond waters were low and found not to be linked with hunting activity, as well as they did not differ from the ones found in the inflow water. Moreover, it could be stated that activities led on ponds did not enrich rivers in the studied ions and elements

Influence of geologic structure on the presence, discharge and physical and chemical properties of springs in the Muszynka catchment (Carpathian flysch)

The study helped to determine the spatial distribution of springs, their discharge values as well as the physical and chemical parameters of their waters, as these depend on the exact lithology of the aquifers drained and on the distance from tectonic discontinuity zones and the direction these follow in the flysch rocks of the Beskid Sądecki Range. The occurrence of springs is most frequently related to region-wide faults or joints that run in the NE-SW or NW-SE direction. However, that the presence of discontinuity zones does not always increase the number of springs per unit area or their discharge values. It was the case for some lithostratigraphic units that in spite of rather high tectonic activity, both a low springs density index and low spring discharge were obtained from the study. The relationships between water temperature or pH and categorized orientation of the nearest lineament proved to be statistically significant. Thus, it has been unambiguously shown that, in the study area, being located on lineaments or in structural zones does not affect spring discharge, temperature, pH or the SEC of spring water, but relatively high correlation values was found in the case of relationships between pH or SEC and categorized geology

Zmiany warunków hydrologicznych wynikające z tworzenia nasypów – przegląd przypadków

The article discusses typical examples of the impact of embankments on the surrounding water conditions. The studied cases illustrate the two most common groups of changes in hydrological conditions related to the formation of embankments. One such change is the raising of the groundwater table under the embankment, which usually leads to high level of moisture in the immediate vicinity of the embankment. Three cases were discussed in this group. One is a typical impact of a large embankment that has caused a significant increase in soil moisture nearby. The second example is a situation where the terrain lying between the embankments is strongly damp. The third example is a plot of land which, despite its particularly unfavourable location – surrounded on three sides by embankments – has not been damp due to the unusually high permeability of the ground. The second group of changes consists of various modifications of surface runoff conditions. Some embankments – made of impermeable materials – increase surface runoff by blocking the infiltration of rainwater. Other embankments redirect or block surface runoff, causing the formation of landlocked area. In addition, an analysis of one reported case has revealed the effects of backfilling a large gorge, which had significantly increased the surface catchment area, which in turn resulted in a significant increase in surface runoff. The case of building embankments on a river floodplain was also discussed. The article shows that similar nature of changes in topography may cause different hydrological effects depending on the permeability and retention capacity of the ground.W artykule omówione zostały charakterystyczne przykłady oddziaływania nasypów gruntowych i gruntowo-gruzowych na warunki wodne otoczenia. Pokazane przypadki ilustrują dwie najczęstsze grupy zmian warunków hydrologicznych związane z powstawaniem nasypów. Jedną grupę stanowią zmiany polegające na podniesieniu zwierciadła wód podziemnych pod nasypem, co zazwyczaj prowadzi do silnego zawilgocenia bezpośredniego otoczenia nasypu. W tej grupie omówiono trzy przypadki. Pierwszy to typowy wpływ dużego nasypu, który spowodował znaczące zawilgocenie gruntu w otoczeniu. Drugi przykład to sytuacja, gdy silnemu zawilgoceniu ulega działka leżąca pomiędzy nasypami. Przykład trzeci to działka, która pomimo szczególnie niekorzystnego położenia – otoczenie z trzech stron przez nasypy – nie uległa zawilgoceniu ze względu na wyjątkowo wysoką przepuszczalność podłoża gruntowo-skalnego. Na drugą grupę zmian składają się różne modyfikacje warunków spływu powierzchniowego. Niektóre nasypy – utworzone z nieprzepuszczalnych materiałów – zwiększają spływ powierzchniowy poprzez blokowanie infiltracji wód opadowych. Inne nasypy przekierowują spływ powierzchniowy lub go blokują, powodując powstawanie zagłębień bezodpływowych. Ponadto analiza jednego z przypadków pokazuje skutki zasypania dużego wąwozu, przez co znacząco zwiększyła się powierzchnia zlewni, a to z kolei spowodowało znaczący wzrost spływu powierzchniowego. Omówiono też przypadek zabudowy rzecznej terasy zalewowej nasypami. W artykule pokazano, że podobny charakter zmian w topografii może powodować odmienne skutki hydrologiczne w zależności od przepuszczalności i zdolności retencyjnych podłoża

Preliminary hydrogeological result of springs studies in Orlickie Mts. (Zieleniec and Zákouti area)

W artykule zaprezentowano wyniki kartowania hydrogeologicznego oraz badań pH, przewodności elektrolitycznej właściwej i temperatury wód źródlanych pogranicza Polski i Czech w okolicach Zieleńca i Zákouti. Celem badań była charakterystyka krenologiczna źródeł występujących w sąsiadujących ze sobą zlewniach tj. górnej części zlewni Bystrzycy Dusznickiej w Polsce (kartowanie – VI 2004) i rzeki Bělá w Czechach (kartowanie VI 2011). Większość źródeł reprezentuje VI klasę wydajności według klasyfikacji Meinzera (0,1–1 dm^3/s). Wyższe wydajności źródeł stwierdzono w zlewni Bystrzycy Dusznickiej, gdzie aż w 12 wypływach zanotowano wartości powyżej 1 dm^3/s. W zlewni rzeki Bělá jedynie 3 wypływy miały wydajność powyżej litra. Również w źródłach zlewni Bystrzycy zanotowano wyższe wartości pH i przewodność elektrolityczną właściwą. Jednocześnie w wypływach na tym obszarze stwierdzono niższą temperaturę wód podziemnych. Wyniki badań wskazują, że źródła występujące po stronie polskiej są związane z głębszym systemem krążenia wód (przewyższającym głębokość pokryw zwietrzelinowych) niż źródła w sąsiadującej zlewni rzeki Bělá.The paper presents the results of hydrogeological mapping and research on pH, electrical conductivity and temperature of spring waters at the Polish-Czech border in the Zieleniec and Zákouti area. The purpose of the study was to characterise spring hydrology in the neighbouring catchments i.e. the upper part of the Bystrzyca Dusznicka River catchment in Poland (hydrogeological mapping in June, 2004) and the Belá River catchment in the Czech Republic (hydrogeological mapping in June 2011). Most of the springs represent Meinzer’s class 6 (0.1–1 L/s). However, higher spring discharge rates were found in the Bystrzyca catchment, where 12 springs yielded values more than 1 L/s. This catchmenr area was also characterized by higher values of pH and electrical conductivity of water. The water in the springs of this area was cooler, too. The research results indicate that the springs occurring on the Polish side are associated with a deeper water circulation system than the springs in the neighbouring Belá catchment13

From spring sources to springbrook : changes in environmental characteristics and benthic fauna

Spatial patterns in macroinvertebrate communities and some abiotic factors were examined in three rheocrene springs and their springbrooks (Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, southern Poland). The mean discharge of particular springs ranged from 5 to 11 L s-1, and its annual fluctuations were small. Water temperature was very stable at all sampling sites. In the eucrenon the number of benthic taxa was the smallest (9-14 determined to the family level), but the densities were the highest (approx. 14000 ind. m-2). The biggest changes in macroinvertebrate composition were observed in the modified hypocrenon, which is an artificial pond. The lowest number of taxa were found in a natural, short springbrook with a nondiversified bottom substrate. The density of crenophilic taxa (Drusus trifidus, Dugesia gonocephala, Elmidae) diminished along the springbrooks, while the opposite trend was observed for ubiquitous taxa (some Oligochaeta, Asellus aquaticus and Chironomidae). Even in a very short natural springbrook (30 m), Drusus trifidus, the only species of Trichoptera found in the springs discussed here, goes through the entire development cycle. The strongest influence of a big river was observed at the outflow of one of the natural springbrooks, where the highest number of riverine oligochaete species were found. The benthic fauna of the springs studied here differed from that found in other springs in this area - the absence of the typical crenophilic species Bithynella austriaca (Gastropoda) and the presence of Gianus aquedulcis (Oligochaeta) may indicate the autonomy of the spring fauna in the Mstów area, possibly resulting from the postglacial geomorphological formation of this region or differences in habitat conditions

Temperature of spring water in Polonina Wetlinska massif

The temperature of spring water reflects recharge condition, depth, and circulation time of supplying with ground water. The aim of the study was to characterize spring water temperature in Polonina Wetlinska massif and to determine the factors controlling its spatial diversity and seasonal changes. The data from field mapping in 2010 and 2011 were used along with data collected in 2012-14 by automatic data logger. Neither regularity in spatial diversity of spring water temperature was identified nor was relation with elevation and slope exposition. On the other hand a dependency between spring water temperature and type of outflow (rheocrene/bog springs) was observed, which was controlled by the heating process of groundwater in spring niche. The same mechanism controlled the higher temperature of water in springs of low discharge than observed in the most abundant ones. The temperature of monitored spring were stable throughout the year - the annual amplitude did not exceed 2^{\circ}C. Two types of thermal regime were identified

The storage capacity of groundwater reservoirs in the High Bieszczady Mountains (SE Poland)

W pracy podjęto próbę oceny zasobności zbiorników wód podziemnych strefy aktywnej wymiany w subzlewniach Sanu w Bieszczadach Wysokich. W tym celu dokonano analizy wyznaczonych graficznie recesyjnych odcinków hydrogramów odpływu w trzech profilach wodowskazowych w Zatwarnicy (San), Dwerniku (San) i Stuposianach (Wołosaty) w latach 2005-2015. Dla każdego odcinka obliczono współczynnik recesji (\alpha ) informujący o tempie sczerpywania zasobów oraz maksymalny potencjał zasobności zbiorników (W_{max}), a także wyznaczono wzorcowe krzywe wysychania w badanych subzlewniach. Tempo sczerpywania zbiorników wodonośnych było wyrażone wartościami \alpha rzędu 10^{-2}. We wszystkich zlewniach przeciętne wartości \alpha i W_{max} były wyższe w półroczu zimowym niż w letnim. Kształt krzywych recesji wskazywał, że drenowanie zbiorników odbywało się w dwóch fazach: pierwszej, szybszej, o prawdopodobnie znaczącym udziale odpływu śródpokrywowego, oraz drugiej, wolniejszej, obejmującej tylko zasoby wód podziemnych. Subzlewnie Sanu, których obszar zbudowany jest w przewadze z warstw krośnieńskich jednostki śląskiej (Zatwarnica i Dwernik), wykazują podobne wartości W_{max} (Me: 14-21 mm), natomiast w wyżej położonej zlewni Wołosatego (Stuposiany), na obszarze której nasunięcie jednostki dukielskiej może mieć duży wpływ na miąższość strefy przepuszczalnej, W_{max} miało wyższe wartości (Me: 20-32 mm)

Drought in the Bieszczady Mts in 2015

A hydrologic drought in the Bieszczady Mts. is usually observed from July to August, with variable duration, sometimes exceeding one month. In the summer of 2015, extremely high air temperatures and low precipitation totals contributed to a deep drought in the study area. It was one of the longest and most significant low-water stages in recent years, resulting in a decrease in surface water levels and deterioration of water retention conditions. The purpose of the paper is to document and characterize this drought event, which occurred in the Bieszczady mountain region in southeastern Poland in the summer of 2015. The paper also aims to evaluate this drought in the context of long-term hydrologic conditions in the studied area. In conclusion, while the drought was the longest in recent memory, it was not the largest; even so, it did contribute to significant changes in fluvial flows and groundwater levels