Chapter 5
Irrigation and Drainage in Polish
Agriculture: State, Problems and Needs
Leszek Łab˛ edzki, Edmund Kaca, and Andrzej Brandyk
Abstract The paper discusses the conditions as well as the current status, techniques, trends and perspectives of irrigation and drainage in agriculture sector of
Poland. Irrigation and drainage infrastructure was found to be in poor condition
over the whole country. Moreover, the secondary melioration equipment is maintained on less than half of the meliorated area of agricultural land. It is also stressed
that economic situation and lack of sufficient funds by farmers, farmer associations
and responsible, local government units became main reasons for the negligence of
proper use of water management systems. In particular, sufficient maintenance of irrigation/drainage systems has been abandoned, restricting possibilities of controlled
water table management. It is a fact, that the interest in the utilization of water facilities has gradually decreased. For these reasons, it was discussed in this paper, that
irrigation and drainage systems should be rebuilt and improved for better control of
the outflow of water. Another goal, that was deeply analysed, is to create favourable
conditions for water retention and finally more effective water management in agricultural lands. Different actions should be taken to stimulate the development of
irrigation and drainage, to adapt the existing systems to extreme meteorological
events resulting from climate change, to enhance their operation and management.
Keywords Irrigation · Drainage · Agricultural water management · Polish
agriculture
L. Łab˛ edzki (B)
Institute of Technology and Life Sciences, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Research Centre, Glinki 60,
85-174 Bydgoszcz, Poland
e-mail: l.labedzki@itp.edu.pl
E. Kaca
Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Institute of Environmental Engineering,
Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
e-mail: edmund_kaca@sggw.edu.pl
A. Brandyk
Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Water Centre, Ciszewskiego 6, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
e-mail: andrzej_brandyk@sggw.edu.pl
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. Zeleˇ náková et al. (eds.), Quality of Water Resources in Poland, Springer Water,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64892-3_5
91
Irrigation and Drainage in Polish
Agriculture: State, Problems and Needs
Leszek Łab˛ edzki, Edmund Kaca, and Andrzej Brandyk
Abstract The paper discusses the conditions as well as the current status, techniques, trends and perspectives of irrigation and drainage in agriculture sector of
Poland. Irrigation and drainage infrastructure was found to be in poor condition
over the whole country. Moreover, the secondary melioration equipment is maintained on less than half of the meliorated area of agricultural land. It is also stressed
that economic situation and lack of sufficient funds by farmers, farmer associations
and responsible, local government units became main reasons for the negligence of
proper use of water management systems. In particular, sufficient maintenance of irrigation/drainage systems has been abandoned, restricting possibilities of controlled
water table management. It is a fact, that the interest in the utilization of water facilities has gradually decreased. For these reasons, it was discussed in this paper, that
irrigation and drainage systems should be rebuilt and improved for better control of
the outflow of water. Another goal, that was deeply analysed, is to create favourable
conditions for water retention and finally more effective water management in agricultural lands. Different actions should be taken to stimulate the development of
irrigation and drainage, to adapt the existing systems to extreme meteorological
events resulting from climate change, to enhance their operation and management.
Keywords Irrigation · Drainage · Agricultural water management · Polish
agriculture
L. Łab˛ edzki (B)
Institute of Technology and Life Sciences, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Research Centre, Glinki 60,
85-174 Bydgoszcz, Poland
e-mail: l.labedzki@itp.edu.pl
E. Kaca
Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Institute of Environmental Engineering,
Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
e-mail: edmund_kaca@sggw.edu.pl
A. Brandyk
Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Water Centre, Ciszewskiego 6, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
e-mail: andrzej_brandyk@sggw.edu.pl
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. Zeleˇ náková et al. (eds.), Quality of Water Resources in Poland, Springer Water,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64892-3_5
91