In particular branches of the Earth sciences the term estuary is used with various meanings. The term estuary is applied to objects that often differ from the original geographic meaning of the word. The phenomena that accompany them and processes that cause them are called also estuary phenomena and processes. The aim of the study is to describe, in a geographic context, the range in meaning of both the term and names of phenomena and processes derived from it. In the years 2002 -2005, a survey of the distribution of chloride concentrations was conducted on five lakes characteristic of the southern Baltic coast: Jamno, Bukowo, Wicko, Kopań and Łebsko. It was observed that seawater intrusions into the coastal lakes only resembles those that occur in classic estuaries, though the results are similar to seawater intrusion processes. In the Polish section of the southern Baltic coast, coastal lakes are not the only places where these phenomena are observed. We suggest that all inland water bodies that are under the influence of marine intrusions should be called coastal waters, instead of the misleading term estuary.

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Gdansk water supply system belongs among the oldest in Continental Europe. In 1992 one of the first joint-venture water companies was established in the city. Under a contract concluded between the firm and the municipality, the company was obliged to secure quick and considerable improvement of drinking water quality. At the same time a considerable water consumption decrease was observed. The drop entails new environmental, technical and economic problems. The biggest threat to the supplies of safe and good quality water is the phenomenon of secondary pollution of water resulting from the overdimensioning of the water supply network. Positive aspects of water consumption decrease are related to the opportunity of more rational and sustainable water resources management. The solutions adopted in Gdansk can serve as a starting point for working out the best model for water quality management in the coastal cities.

Geographic Record of Human Impact Conformance to Different Water Relationships Along a Coastal River (The Łupawa Catchment) The purpose of this paper is to answer the following two questions: Can one infer the type of human impact found in the northern Pomorze region from the current state of the Łupawa basin? Did regional water relationships determine the type of human impact found in the area? A good place to search for an answer to these two questions is the Łupawa River drainage basin. The entire upper section of the river, upstream from the Bukowina, is characterized by a lack of substantial changes in the hydrographic network, resulting from man's apparent disinterest in the area. The middle section of the river is characterized by human impact in the form of the use of water resources for energy generation purposes (sawmills, gristmills, power plants). The lower section of the Łupawa that includes Lake Gardno is characterized by significant changes in water relationships associated with difficult discharge conditions. Finally, the mouth section of the river, given its location, has been adapted as a port facility.

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