The Role of Water in the Landscape

We constantly hear about the need to conserve water due to its dwindling resources. Unfortunately, most of Poland is characterized by a water deficit. It is estimated that Poland’s surface water resources are small, amounting to about 62 km³. Additionally, they are characterized by seasonal variability, with resources possibly decreasing to 40 km³ in a very dry year and reaching up to 90 km³ in a very wet year. The amount of renewable freshwater resources per person in our country is about 1,600 m³ of water per year – this indicator is three times lower than the European average and places us 24th in the European Union. It should be emphasized that the Wielkopolska Lakeland is at the center of the country’s water deficit, and we are increasingly observing various effects of water shortage in our landscape, such as drastic decreases in lake and river levels, or the drying up of small reservoirs and the disappearance of wetlands. The observed excessive drying of the soil and prolonged drought periods have catastrophic natural and economic consequences, especially for agriculture. Along with the shrinking water resources, there is a trend of deteriorating water usability quality. Unfortunately, almost every form of water use, whether recreational, industrial, agricultural, or consumer, changes its quality. Our rivers and lakes often have low transparency, are perceived as dirty by users, and dangerous algae blooms, such as toxic cyanobacteria, are increasingly common – these are characteristics of polluted waters.