A RIVER – A GIFT AND AN A RIVER – A GIFT AND AN ELEMENTELEMENT

A RIVER – A GIFT AND AN A RIVER – A GIFT AND AN ELEMENTELEMENT

Polish river networkPolish river network

• Almost whole Almost whole Poland is in the Poland is in the Baltic Sea Baltic Sea catchment area, in catchment area, in river basins of two river basins of two major rivers: the major rivers: the Vistula and the Vistula and the Oder.Oder.

  

The longest river in Poland is the Vistula. It is 1047 km long. The longest river in Poland is the Vistula. It is 1047 km long. Its source is located on Barania Góra in Beskid Śląski.  The Its source is located on Barania Góra in Beskid Śląski.  The largest tributaries of the Vistula are:  Dunajec, San, Wieprz, largest tributaries of the Vistula are:  Dunajec, San, Wieprz, Bug, Drwęca. The second largest river is the Oder. It is slightly Bug, Drwęca. The second largest river is the Oder. It is slightly shorter - it is 854 km long. Its sources are located in the Czech shorter - it is 854 km long. Its sources are located in the Czech Republic in Góry Odrzańskie, and the major tributaries are the Republic in Góry Odrzańskie, and the major tributaries are the Warta and Noteć.Warta and Noteć.

  

Other major Polish rivers Other major Polish rivers are: San, Pilica, Narew, Bug, are: San, Pilica, Narew, Bug, Bób, Nysa Łużycka, Warta, Bób, Nysa Łużycka, Warta, Noteć.Noteć.

The use of rivers in PolandThe use of rivers in Poland

• Obtaining ElectricityObtaining Electricity

• In Poland, about In Poland, about 3,5% of the 3,5% of the electricity is electricity is produced in produced in hydroelectric power hydroelectric power plants. The largest of plants. The largest of them are in Solina, them are in Solina, Żydowo, Porąbka-Żydowo, Porąbka-Żar.Żar.

Watering and fertilizing Watering and fertilizing functionsfunctions

In Poland, the rivers are also used for In Poland, the rivers are also used for arable lands irrigation. Sediment arable lands irrigation. Sediment carried by the rivers’ water fertilizes carried by the rivers’ water fertilizes soil. Irrigation is extensively used in soil. Irrigation is extensively used in the area of Żuławy Wiślanethe area of Żuławy Wiślane..

Recreational and tourist Recreational and tourist functions:functions:

• Rivers are also Rivers are also used as a tourist used as a tourist attraction and a attraction and a place where you place where you can spend your can spend your free time. An free time. An example of such example of such use may be the use may be the Dunajec river.Dunajec river.

Transport function of riversTransport function of rivers

• Rivers are often used Rivers are often used as transport routes. as transport routes. They serve as an They serve as an alternative freight alternative freight route, usually of bulk.route, usually of bulk. In Poland, however, In Poland, however, this means of this means of transport is used to a transport is used to a small extent. The main small extent. The main inland transportation inland transportation route in Poland is the route in Poland is the Oder river. Oder river.

Source of drinking waterSource of drinking water

• Rivers are a major source of fresh water on the Rivers are a major source of fresh water on the planet. They are used for the abstraction of planet. They are used for the abstraction of drinking water also in Poland. An example is the drinking water also in Poland. An example is the Upper Silesia (Górny Śląsk) conurbation, whose Upper Silesia (Górny Śląsk) conurbation, whose main source of water is a Goczałkowickie lake, main source of water is a Goczałkowickie lake, formed by a dam on the Vistula.formed by a dam on the Vistula.

• Water is also Water is also obtained for the obtained for the needs of industry. needs of industry. Industries such as Industries such as as steel, energy and as steel, energy and chemical industries chemical industries require large require large amounts of water to amounts of water to operate, that is why operate, that is why they are often built they are often built near rivers. near rivers. 

The use of the rivers in the The use of the rivers in the pastpast

• Defence functionsDefence functions::

• In the past, the rivers played a vitally important In the past, the rivers played a vitally important role, due to their natural defensive qualities. Cities role, due to their natural defensive qualities. Cities were built along rivers in order to provide them were built along rivers in order to provide them with extra defence lines. Fortresses were built in with extra defence lines. Fortresses were built in the proximity of rivers as well. An example is the the proximity of rivers as well. An example is the fortress of Modlin and Wawel Royal Castle.fortress of Modlin and Wawel Royal Castle.

Rivers were also applied to:Rivers were also applied to:

In the past rivers were particularly important due to their In the past rivers were particularly important due to their natural defensive qualities. Rivers were also main natural defensive qualities. Rivers were also main communication routes. In Poland for over 350 years Vistula communication routes. In Poland for over 350 years Vistula and other rivers had been used for grain transportation. and other rivers had been used for grain transportation. Grain collected from the fields in the central part of the Grain collected from the fields in the central part of the country was carried along rivers to Gdańsk and then it was country was carried along rivers to Gdańsk and then it was

exported to the western countries. exported to the western countries. 

Rivers were used Rivers were used to power to power watermills and watermills and continued to be a continued to be a very important very important source of food. source of food. Apart from being Apart from being a rich source of a rich source of fish, rivers fish, rivers indirectly aid in indirectly aid in cultivation with cultivation with its supply of its supply of water for the water for the crops.crops.

River as a part of natural River as a part of natural environment:environment:

• .  Rivers are one of the most important landscape .  Rivers are one of the most important landscape elements in our country. They create valleys, elements in our country. They create valleys, lakes and meanders. They are the home of lakes and meanders. They are the home of numerous species of plants and animals, also of numerous species of plants and animals, also of the endangered and protected ones.the endangered and protected ones.

Dangers connected with Dangers connected with rivers:rivers:• Rivers carry great danger. This danger are floods. Rivers carry great danger. This danger are floods.

Water is one of the most powerful and most destructive Water is one of the most powerful and most destructive elements. Floods cause numerous damages. These elements. Floods cause numerous damages. These damages can be divided into two types. The first one damages can be divided into two types. The first one refers to serious consequences for the environment, refers to serious consequences for the environment, the second one to consequences for people and their the second one to consequences for people and their economy. Size of damages depends on the scale of economy. Size of damages depends on the scale of flood and we can classify floods into three types: flood and we can classify floods into three types:

• Small-range floods.Small-range floods.• Middle-range floods which do not affect a country and Middle-range floods which do not affect a country and

its functioning.its functioning.• Big-range floods which take the form of a natural Big-range floods which take the form of a natural

disaster and do affect the functioning of the entire disaster and do affect the functioning of the entire country.country.

Consequences of floods for the Consequences of floods for the natural environment:natural environment:

• They destroy natural habitat of wild They destroy natural habitat of wild animals.animals.

• They damage wildlife and They damage wildlife and endangered species of animals and endangered species of animals and plants.plants.

Consequences of floods for Consequences of floods for humans:humans:

• They pollute drinking waterThey pollute drinking water

• They destroy housing estates and They destroy housing estates and livelihoodslivelihoods

• They destroy crops and arable landsThey destroy crops and arable lands

• They kill domestic animalsThey kill domestic animals

• They cause great material damagesThey cause great material damages

• They are hazardous for people’s lives They are hazardous for people’s lives 

1997 Central European 1997 Central European floodflood

• The 1997 Central European flood or the 1997 Oder Flood of The 1997 Central European flood or the 1997 Oder Flood of the Oder River and its tributaries in July 1997 the Oder River and its tributaries in July 1997 affected Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic, taking affected Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic, taking lives of 105-115 people (in Czech Republic and Poland) and lives of 105-115 people (in Czech Republic and Poland) and causing material damages estimated at $4.5 billion (3.8 causing material damages estimated at $4.5 billion (3.8 billion euros in the Czech Republic and Poland and 330 billion euros in the Czech Republic and Poland and 330 million euros in Germany). The flooding first begun in the million euros in Germany). The flooding first begun in the Czech Republic, then spread to Poland and Germany. In Czech Republic, then spread to Poland and Germany. In Poland, it was one of the most disastrous floods in the Poland, it was one of the most disastrous floods in the history of this country, it was named the Millennium history of this country, it was named the Millennium Flood (Powódź tysiąclecia)although the term was also used Flood (Powódź tysiąclecia)although the term was also used in Germany (Jahrtausendflut). The flood has also been in Germany (Jahrtausendflut). The flood has also been

referred to as the Great Flood of 1997.referred to as the Great Flood of 1997.

2010 Central European 2010 Central European floodflood

The 2010 Central European floods were a The 2010 Central European floods were a devastating series of weather events devastating series of weather events which occurred across several Central which occurred across several Central European countries during May, June and European countries during May, June and August 2010. Poland was the worst August 2010. Poland was the worst affected country. Austria, Germany, affected country. Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia and Ukraine  Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia and Ukraine  were also affected. At least thirty-seven were also affected. At least thirty-seven people died in the floods and people died in the floods and approximately 23,000 people were approximately 23,000 people were evacuated. The city of Krakow declared a evacuated. The city of Krakow declared a state of emergency. The losses were state of emergency. The losses were higher than 5 bln dolars. higher than 5 bln dolars. Water flooded Water flooded over 554000ha in 2157 villages.over 554000ha in 2157 villages.

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