The effect of a water dam on Lake Powidzkie and its vicinity

Abstract

The paper presents an attempt to assess the effect of damming of lakes on water resources, based on the example of Lake Powidzkie (Central Poland) and its catchment. The region in which the analysed object is located has the greatest water deficits in Poland. The co-occurrence of unfavourable natural and anthropogenic factors contributed to a considerable reduction in the water resources retained in the lake. Particularly low water levels were recorded in the 1990s and in the first decade of the 21 st century. The situation was not improved by a water dam constructed on the outflow from the lake in the 1960s, due, among other things, to neglect in its exploitation. With regard to the modernisation of the dam in 2010 and the favourable hydrological situation in the winter of 2011, it was possible to retain the excess water and substantially reduce its outflow. The restoration of the lost water resources, and the hydrological benefits of this were still observable several years later. Problems related to water deficits are becoming increasingly common in many regions of the world. One solution to mitigate such a situation may be, among others, to dam natural lakes. This is simpler, cheaper, and less invasive for the environment than the construction of new water reservoirs.

Reconstruction of the primary bottom of a unique crater lake in the “Meteoryt Morasko Reserve” (Poland)

“…It should be emphasised that this issue constitutes one of the primary research problems in limnology (Lange 1993). There is a good number of papers discussing the evolution of lakes in reference to processes observed above the water surface (Gao et al 2011;Ptak et al 2013;Zhang et al 2015;Nowak and Ptak 2018). The investigation of the decline of lakes, however, should consider their three-dimensional character.…”

Natural and anthropogenic conditions of water level fluctuations in lakes – Lake Powidzkie case study (Central-Western Poland)

“…Only after 2010 the process was temporarily inhibited as a result of both natural factors (high precipitation) and human activity (hydrotechnical infrastructure on the outflow from the lake) [NOWAK, PTAK 2018]. Studies concerning water level fluctuations in Polish lakes are difficult to refer to such a situation [KOWALIK et al 2008;PTAK et al 2017;VOLCHAK et al 2017;WRZESIŃSKI et al 2018], because in the case of the analysed lake anthropogenic activities were of key importance [NOWAK 2018;NOWAK, PTAK 2018], and such measures were not implemented in other cases. The course of water level fluctuations in Lake Powidzkie confirms the statement on the complexity of the process in reference to the water level dynamics.…”

The Influence of Hydrometeorological Conditions on Changes in Littoral and Riparian Vegetation of a Meromictic Lake in the Last Half-Century

“…Then, the disappearance of vegetation characteristics of terrestrial and ecotone habitats can be observed. During dry periods, large areas previously covered with water are uncovered, which contributes to the rapid mineralization of accumulated organic matter that may cause rapid changes in lake functioning [14][15][16]. An increase in the contents of nutrients is most noticeable in lakes with low trophy levels [11].…”