7 Studies on, the Use and Protection of Springs in Poland
119
devastating the natural discharges of groundwater, and changes made in the local
water circulation system cannot be overestimated.
Springs in Poland have a tradition of being valued and regarded as fascinating,
unusual sites. A good example and illustration of this is the paper published, on 9
October 1938, in Głos Ziemi (Voice of the Earth) weekly issued in Vilnius. Titled The
Wonders of Nature (Dziwy natury), it goes as follows (quote): Then, among the many
wonders of nature that exist in Poland, some of them are unique in all Europe. Let me
mention some of the most interesting instances here. First of all, not known to many
is the fact that there is a geyser (hot spring) in Poland. It is located near Szkło, some
50 km of Lviv. From the bottom of a sandy brook, flowing at a distance of 3 km from
Szkło, there is the only spring of this type in the European continent. The locals call
it “Kipiaczka.” From the middle of the brook, a column of water spurts out one and
a half meter high. The spring works just like a geyser: the streams of hot water spurt
out intermittently, every several minutes. Today, the “Kipiaczka” spring is situated
in the Ukrainian territory and seems nothing like the former “geyser” (Fig. 7.5).
Being essential to human existence, springs have for ages been protected from
destruction or contamination. Their utility and value to scientists, nature or culture
long ago ceased to be a simple function of the spring yield, of the parameters of
its water, or the size, origin, or nature of the spring niche. The importance and the
perception of springs were and continue to be a cluster of its various physical and
environmental properties and features related to culture, society or even economy.
Some springs have a long and fascinating history; some other ones are regarded
as the sources of “holy” water having miraculous properties [3–6]. Therefore, the
ecological and social value of small springs and their didactic, cultural, scientific
or environmental values are usually just as remarkable as those of the spectacular
“global giants.”
In the contemporary, technocratic civilization, human relationships with nature
have been changed, mainly by weakening emotional states and by desacralization
of human relationships with the natural environment. The relativization of values,
improvement of our living conditions and, especially, easier access to water (from the
tap), have changed our approach to the springs. Weaker bonds with the environment
and easier availability of good water from the tap have made some of us tend to
forget where its natural sources are – even though our water in the tap is drawn from
a spring. The contemporary world is changing so fast, and our bonds with nature
have been so reassessed that, without caring for the environment, which includes the
care for water, we – intentionally or not – also stop caring for the quality of our lives.
We tend to act like the fool in the poem by Adam Mickiewicz, saying [quotation is
a little rephrased for the sake of the rhyme] “who cares if the spring dries out in the
mountains if we still have water for the fountains” [original „…niech sobie ´
zródło
wyschnie w górach, byleby mi woda płyn˛ eła w rurach” (A. Mickiewicz, “Wiersze
ró˙ zne”)]. Our resources of groundwater could be protected with the help of analyses of
spring yields and distribution and evaluations of the physico-chemical and biological
properties of spring water. Information about the springs and spring waters could be
used as first-class geoindicators, or values which are useful for the assessment of the
quantitative and qualitative changes of water in the natural environment.
119
devastating the natural discharges of groundwater, and changes made in the local
water circulation system cannot be overestimated.
Springs in Poland have a tradition of being valued and regarded as fascinating,
unusual sites. A good example and illustration of this is the paper published, on 9
October 1938, in Głos Ziemi (Voice of the Earth) weekly issued in Vilnius. Titled The
Wonders of Nature (Dziwy natury), it goes as follows (quote): Then, among the many
wonders of nature that exist in Poland, some of them are unique in all Europe. Let me
mention some of the most interesting instances here. First of all, not known to many
is the fact that there is a geyser (hot spring) in Poland. It is located near Szkło, some
50 km of Lviv. From the bottom of a sandy brook, flowing at a distance of 3 km from
Szkło, there is the only spring of this type in the European continent. The locals call
it “Kipiaczka.” From the middle of the brook, a column of water spurts out one and
a half meter high. The spring works just like a geyser: the streams of hot water spurt
out intermittently, every several minutes. Today, the “Kipiaczka” spring is situated
in the Ukrainian territory and seems nothing like the former “geyser” (Fig. 7.5).
Being essential to human existence, springs have for ages been protected from
destruction or contamination. Their utility and value to scientists, nature or culture
long ago ceased to be a simple function of the spring yield, of the parameters of
its water, or the size, origin, or nature of the spring niche. The importance and the
perception of springs were and continue to be a cluster of its various physical and
environmental properties and features related to culture, society or even economy.
Some springs have a long and fascinating history; some other ones are regarded
as the sources of “holy” water having miraculous properties [3–6]. Therefore, the
ecological and social value of small springs and their didactic, cultural, scientific
or environmental values are usually just as remarkable as those of the spectacular
“global giants.”
In the contemporary, technocratic civilization, human relationships with nature
have been changed, mainly by weakening emotional states and by desacralization
of human relationships with the natural environment. The relativization of values,
improvement of our living conditions and, especially, easier access to water (from the
tap), have changed our approach to the springs. Weaker bonds with the environment
and easier availability of good water from the tap have made some of us tend to
forget where its natural sources are – even though our water in the tap is drawn from
a spring. The contemporary world is changing so fast, and our bonds with nature
have been so reassessed that, without caring for the environment, which includes the
care for water, we – intentionally or not – also stop caring for the quality of our lives.
We tend to act like the fool in the poem by Adam Mickiewicz, saying [quotation is
a little rephrased for the sake of the rhyme] “who cares if the spring dries out in the
mountains if we still have water for the fountains” [original „…niech sobie ´
zródło
wyschnie w górach, byleby mi woda płyn˛ eła w rurach” (A. Mickiewicz, “Wiersze
ró˙ zne”)]. Our resources of groundwater could be protected with the help of analyses of
spring yields and distribution and evaluations of the physico-chemical and biological
properties of spring water. Information about the springs and spring waters could be
used as first-class geoindicators, or values which are useful for the assessment of the
quantitative and qualitative changes of water in the natural environment.