94
L. Łab˛ edzki et al.
resources in Poland are found to be very small. Surface water resources in Poland,
that are renewable, rate1600 m
3 /cap/yr, and this is three times less than the average
value in Europe (4560 m
3 /cap/yr).
The fact should not be omitted, that some surface waters are distinguished for their
significance to agriculture. They include small rivers, irrigation canals and ditches,
canals and ditches draining water from fields, small natural lakes and artificial reservoirs in rural areas. Alteration as well as management of those water resources
became a domain of melioration. Under polish conditions, two types of land reclamation facilities are distinguished: primary watercourses and hydraulic structures and
secondary facilities. The first ones embrace in general small rivers being a source
of water for irrigation or a water receiver from drained fields and hydraulic structures associated with them; the other—canals and ditches with different facilities and
hydraulic structures located directly in the fields. It should be mentioned that this
division existed until recent times and is no longer involved in the new Polish Water
Act [8]. The length and number of these facilities, providing for water resources
significant to agriculture, are given in Table 5.1. The analyses point at total length
of canals and rivers of local importance for agriculture to be 75300 km, of which
43400 km became regulated. Furthermore, the length of other small watercourses
and ditches is estimated as 279000 km. Available surveys show that in 2016 there
were 4176 small agricultural water reservoirs with the usable capacity about 200000
dam
3 [9]. Not all reservoirs are or have become operational. In some extent, the
designed capacity could not be achieved. According to the estimates of provincial
wetlands and water facilities management, in 2013 the requirements of improvement
or reconstruction referred to water reservoirs with a capacity of 9% of the existing
one.
Table 5.1 Primary melioration facilities
Facility
Parameter
Unit
Amount/number
Streams
Length
thous. km
75.3
Regulated streams
Length
thous. km
43.4
Canals
Length
thous. km
6.8
Melioration ditches
Length
thous. km
279
Agricultural reservoirs
Useful capacity
mln m 3
199
Number
pieces
4176
Melioration pump
stations
Efficiency
m 3 ·s −1
920
Number
pieces
579
Source [9]
L. Łab˛ edzki et al.
resources in Poland are found to be very small. Surface water resources in Poland,
that are renewable, rate1600 m
3 /cap/yr, and this is three times less than the average
value in Europe (4560 m
3 /cap/yr).
The fact should not be omitted, that some surface waters are distinguished for their
significance to agriculture. They include small rivers, irrigation canals and ditches,
canals and ditches draining water from fields, small natural lakes and artificial reservoirs in rural areas. Alteration as well as management of those water resources
became a domain of melioration. Under polish conditions, two types of land reclamation facilities are distinguished: primary watercourses and hydraulic structures and
secondary facilities. The first ones embrace in general small rivers being a source
of water for irrigation or a water receiver from drained fields and hydraulic structures associated with them; the other—canals and ditches with different facilities and
hydraulic structures located directly in the fields. It should be mentioned that this
division existed until recent times and is no longer involved in the new Polish Water
Act [8]. The length and number of these facilities, providing for water resources
significant to agriculture, are given in Table 5.1. The analyses point at total length
of canals and rivers of local importance for agriculture to be 75300 km, of which
43400 km became regulated. Furthermore, the length of other small watercourses
and ditches is estimated as 279000 km. Available surveys show that in 2016 there
were 4176 small agricultural water reservoirs with the usable capacity about 200000
dam
3 [9]. Not all reservoirs are or have become operational. In some extent, the
designed capacity could not be achieved. According to the estimates of provincial
wetlands and water facilities management, in 2013 the requirements of improvement
or reconstruction referred to water reservoirs with a capacity of 9% of the existing
one.
Table 5.1 Primary melioration facilities
Facility
Parameter
Unit
Amount/number
Streams
Length
thous. km
75.3
Regulated streams
Length
thous. km
43.4
Canals
Length
thous. km
6.8
Melioration ditches
Length
thous. km
279
Agricultural reservoirs
Useful capacity
mln m 3
199
Number
pieces
4176
Melioration pump
stations
Efficiency
m 3 ·s −1
920
Number
pieces
579
Source [9]