Chapter 15
Monitoring of Small Catchments
in Poland Under the Integrated
Environmental Monitoring Programme:
The Functioning of the Struga Toru ´
nska
River Agricultural Catchment
Marek Kejna, Ireneusz Sobota, Joanna Uscka-Kowalkowska,
and Henryka Wojtczak
Abstract This chapter analyses the functioning of the agricultural catchment area
of the Struga Toru´ nska river (Central Poland). The observations were carried out
as part of the Integrated Environmental Monitoring Programme in the years 1994–
2017. A considerable increase in air temperature (0.48 °C/10 years) was found along
with variability in precipitation totals (413.0–762.0 mm). Meteorological conditions
contributed to substantial variability in water stages and flow rates in the river. The
mean annual flow rate at Koniczynka ranged from 0.10 to 1.04 m
3 s
−1 (0.55 m
3 s
−1 on
average). An average of 175 mm of water was drained from the catchment (32% of
the precipitation). The specific runoff was 5.60 dm
3 s
−1 km
−2 , which was similar to
typical values observed in the Polish lowlands. The river regime is nival and moderately developed (the spring flow accounted for 166% of the mean monthly value).
Extensive farming affects the quality of water in the Struga Toru´ nska. Increased
concentrations of biogenic substances, mineral substances, and suspended matter
were found in the agricultural catchment area, in particular after spring thaw when
surface flushing increases. These substances are increasingly transported by a dense
drainage network. In the summer, the biogenic content falls due to increased vegetation processes. The value of BOD5 also increases, and aerobic conditions decline.
The catchment of the Struga Toru´ nska is considered an area at particular risk of
pollution by nitrogen from agricultural sources.
M. Kejna (B) · I. Sobota · J. Uscka-Kowalkowska
Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management, Nicolaus
Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100, Toru´ n, Poland
e-mail: marek.kejna@umk.pl
I. Sobota
e-mail: irso@umk.pl
J. Uscka-Kowalkowska
e-mail: Joanna-uk@umk.pl
H. Wojtczak
Voivodship Inspectorate of Environmental Protection, Skargi 2, 85-018, Bydgoszcz, Poland
e-mail: henryka.wojtczak@wios.bydgoszcz.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_15
347
Monitoring of Small Catchments
in Poland Under the Integrated
Environmental Monitoring Programme:
The Functioning of the Struga Toru ´
nska
River Agricultural Catchment
Marek Kejna, Ireneusz Sobota, Joanna Uscka-Kowalkowska,
and Henryka Wojtczak
Abstract This chapter analyses the functioning of the agricultural catchment area
of the Struga Toru´ nska river (Central Poland). The observations were carried out
as part of the Integrated Environmental Monitoring Programme in the years 1994–
2017. A considerable increase in air temperature (0.48 °C/10 years) was found along
with variability in precipitation totals (413.0–762.0 mm). Meteorological conditions
contributed to substantial variability in water stages and flow rates in the river. The
mean annual flow rate at Koniczynka ranged from 0.10 to 1.04 m
3 s
−1 (0.55 m
3 s
−1 on
average). An average of 175 mm of water was drained from the catchment (32% of
the precipitation). The specific runoff was 5.60 dm
3 s
−1 km
−2 , which was similar to
typical values observed in the Polish lowlands. The river regime is nival and moderately developed (the spring flow accounted for 166% of the mean monthly value).
Extensive farming affects the quality of water in the Struga Toru´ nska. Increased
concentrations of biogenic substances, mineral substances, and suspended matter
were found in the agricultural catchment area, in particular after spring thaw when
surface flushing increases. These substances are increasingly transported by a dense
drainage network. In the summer, the biogenic content falls due to increased vegetation processes. The value of BOD5 also increases, and aerobic conditions decline.
The catchment of the Struga Toru´ nska is considered an area at particular risk of
pollution by nitrogen from agricultural sources.
M. Kejna (B) · I. Sobota · J. Uscka-Kowalkowska
Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management, Nicolaus
Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100, Toru´ n, Poland
e-mail: marek.kejna@umk.pl
I. Sobota
e-mail: irso@umk.pl
J. Uscka-Kowalkowska
e-mail: Joanna-uk@umk.pl
H. Wojtczak
Voivodship Inspectorate of Environmental Protection, Skargi 2, 85-018, Bydgoszcz, Poland
e-mail: henryka.wojtczak@wios.bydgoszcz.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_15
347