7 Studies on, the Use and Protection of Springs in Poland
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Danube. Even though most of the explorations failed to unambiguously locate the
sources of those rivers, nearly all of them were successful in that they enabled the
discovery of new places and provided more geographical information. Some geographers continue to argue about the exact location of the springs of some rivers
even nowadays, thus enhancing the contemporary exploratory motif in geographical studies. Also ancient and contemporary monarchs and men of power tended to
perceive the presence of a big or otherwise “important” river in their territory as an
appreciated attribute, adding to the significance of the specific state or region.
On the other hand, to a geologist or a hydrogeologist, a spring is a specific exposure of groundwater, a “keyhole” enabling one to look into the underground water
circulation system almost for free, identify it and even make it ready for use. There is
hardly any doubt that the first water intakes (wells) were formed by digging deeper
and wider (probably in the dry season) the spring niches or other points where water
tended to seep out onto the land surface.
Some springs are also regarded as the “places of miracles” which provide pure
water of good quality, usually satisfying drinking water standards and sometimes
having either actual or legendary healing properties. Men have always willingly
used the water from springs: it was freely accessible and had a kind of guarantee
of natural purity. In many languages, the notion of “spring water” is a synonym of
absolute purity and freshness even nowadays. In the Polish language, the words or
expressions used with springs have unambiguously positive connotations: well, water
spring, fount, fountain, and the starting sections of rivers referred to as stream, brook
river, rivulet or runnel, are watercourses with natural water of excellent quality in
nearly every case. The famous Polish ethnologist and linguist Władysław Kopali´ nski,
in his dictionary of symbols (“Słownik symboli” – in Polish) provided the following
meaning of the word spring (water spring, fount): “A spring symbolizes the truth, spiritual awareness, wisdom, erudition, reason, justice, sensitivity, soul image, oracle,
will of the people, poetic inspiration, oblivion, memory; God, repentance, joy, and
bitterness; life, power to live, eternal life …” [1, 2].
Springs are also very interesting components of a landscape (Fig. 7.2). Whether
in the form of natural spring niches or accompanied by hydroengineering facilities or
architectural structures, they capably make the landscape more attractive to tourists
and provide many aesthetic impressions. They may be encased in various small
architectural forms, such as pools, chapels, small statues, crosses, wells), as part of
old, more or less complicated tubing systems (made of wood or other materials),
stonework canals or little reservoirs, many springs are the pearls of material culture
and earlier technology, in addition to their original role as water drawing points.
Even today, are the niches of even the smallest springs also the oases of shadow,
pleasant scent, and tranquility of the softly flowing water, gladly appreciated by
“homo recreantus.”
The role of spring niches, ponds, and streams formed as the result of the functioning of springs should be mentioned as well. In the agricultural landscape, the
humid enclaves of spring niches or outflow lines are the oases of biodiversity, essential components of its mosaic, and the points where the balance of matter is closed
115
Danube. Even though most of the explorations failed to unambiguously locate the
sources of those rivers, nearly all of them were successful in that they enabled the
discovery of new places and provided more geographical information. Some geographers continue to argue about the exact location of the springs of some rivers
even nowadays, thus enhancing the contemporary exploratory motif in geographical studies. Also ancient and contemporary monarchs and men of power tended to
perceive the presence of a big or otherwise “important” river in their territory as an
appreciated attribute, adding to the significance of the specific state or region.
On the other hand, to a geologist or a hydrogeologist, a spring is a specific exposure of groundwater, a “keyhole” enabling one to look into the underground water
circulation system almost for free, identify it and even make it ready for use. There is
hardly any doubt that the first water intakes (wells) were formed by digging deeper
and wider (probably in the dry season) the spring niches or other points where water
tended to seep out onto the land surface.
Some springs are also regarded as the “places of miracles” which provide pure
water of good quality, usually satisfying drinking water standards and sometimes
having either actual or legendary healing properties. Men have always willingly
used the water from springs: it was freely accessible and had a kind of guarantee
of natural purity. In many languages, the notion of “spring water” is a synonym of
absolute purity and freshness even nowadays. In the Polish language, the words or
expressions used with springs have unambiguously positive connotations: well, water
spring, fount, fountain, and the starting sections of rivers referred to as stream, brook
river, rivulet or runnel, are watercourses with natural water of excellent quality in
nearly every case. The famous Polish ethnologist and linguist Władysław Kopali´ nski,
in his dictionary of symbols (“Słownik symboli” – in Polish) provided the following
meaning of the word spring (water spring, fount): “A spring symbolizes the truth, spiritual awareness, wisdom, erudition, reason, justice, sensitivity, soul image, oracle,
will of the people, poetic inspiration, oblivion, memory; God, repentance, joy, and
bitterness; life, power to live, eternal life …” [1, 2].
Springs are also very interesting components of a landscape (Fig. 7.2). Whether
in the form of natural spring niches or accompanied by hydroengineering facilities or
architectural structures, they capably make the landscape more attractive to tourists
and provide many aesthetic impressions. They may be encased in various small
architectural forms, such as pools, chapels, small statues, crosses, wells), as part of
old, more or less complicated tubing systems (made of wood or other materials),
stonework canals or little reservoirs, many springs are the pearls of material culture
and earlier technology, in addition to their original role as water drawing points.
Even today, are the niches of even the smallest springs also the oases of shadow,
pleasant scent, and tranquility of the softly flowing water, gladly appreciated by
“homo recreantus.”
The role of spring niches, ponds, and streams formed as the result of the functioning of springs should be mentioned as well. In the agricultural landscape, the
humid enclaves of spring niches or outflow lines are the oases of biodiversity, essential components of its mosaic, and the points where the balance of matter is closed