Chapter 10
Ingression and Ascension of Saline
Waters on the Polish Coast
of the Baltic Sea
Arkadiusz Krawiec
Abstract The sea coast zone of the Southern Baltic Sea is one of the regions in
which the risk assessment of both fresh groundwater resources and intake of admissible volumes, defined as a maximum safe yield, is a complex problem, requiring a
separate methodological approach. This results from the coexistence of two hydrogeochemical environments—fresh and saline waters and fluctuations of a border
surface between the saline (sea) and freshwater. Salt and brackish waters that occur
along the coastal Baltic lowlands in Poland originate from the seawater intrusion or
brines ascending from the deep Mesozoic strata. The study area covers the Polish
part of the southern Baltic coast from Uznam Island to the Vistula Lagoon. These
areas are located in different geological units and different hydrogeological regions.
The problem of groundwater salinity is presented for the following areas: islands,
sandspits, coastal lowlands, cliff coasts, and the Vistula delta ( ˙
Zuławy).
Keywords Groundwater · Ascension and ingression process · Groundwaters
genesis and ages · Baltic coast · Poland
10.1 Introduction
The sea coast is a transitional zone between two hydrogeochemical environments
important for life conditions and groundwater resources. On the one hand, there
are saline seawaters not suitable for drinking, and on the other hand—freshwater
resources sensitive to changes. On the borderline between these two environments,
a zone has developed that separates two phases: saline waters of the Cl–Na type
and groundwaters mostly of the HCO 3 –Ca type. Furthermore, saline waters and
brines are common in the Mesozoic strata of the Southern Baltic coast, which induce
an increased concentration of Cl
− ions in Cainozoic aquifers as a consequence of
ascension (see Fig. 10.1).
A. Krawiec (B)
Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management,
Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toru´ n, Poland
e-mail: arkadiusz.krawiec@umk.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_10
215
Ingression and Ascension of Saline
Waters on the Polish Coast
of the Baltic Sea
Arkadiusz Krawiec
Abstract The sea coast zone of the Southern Baltic Sea is one of the regions in
which the risk assessment of both fresh groundwater resources and intake of admissible volumes, defined as a maximum safe yield, is a complex problem, requiring a
separate methodological approach. This results from the coexistence of two hydrogeochemical environments—fresh and saline waters and fluctuations of a border
surface between the saline (sea) and freshwater. Salt and brackish waters that occur
along the coastal Baltic lowlands in Poland originate from the seawater intrusion or
brines ascending from the deep Mesozoic strata. The study area covers the Polish
part of the southern Baltic coast from Uznam Island to the Vistula Lagoon. These
areas are located in different geological units and different hydrogeological regions.
The problem of groundwater salinity is presented for the following areas: islands,
sandspits, coastal lowlands, cliff coasts, and the Vistula delta ( ˙
Zuławy).
Keywords Groundwater · Ascension and ingression process · Groundwaters
genesis and ages · Baltic coast · Poland
10.1 Introduction
The sea coast is a transitional zone between two hydrogeochemical environments
important for life conditions and groundwater resources. On the one hand, there
are saline seawaters not suitable for drinking, and on the other hand—freshwater
resources sensitive to changes. On the borderline between these two environments,
a zone has developed that separates two phases: saline waters of the Cl–Na type
and groundwaters mostly of the HCO 3 –Ca type. Furthermore, saline waters and
brines are common in the Mesozoic strata of the Southern Baltic coast, which induce
an increased concentration of Cl
− ions in Cainozoic aquifers as a consequence of
ascension (see Fig. 10.1).
A. Krawiec (B)
Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management,
Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toru´ n, Poland
e-mail: arkadiusz.krawiec@umk.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_10
215