Chapter 11
Low-Flows in Polish Rivers
Edmund Tomaszewski and Katarzyna Kubiak-Wójcicka
Abstract The chapter discusses spatial, seasonal, and multiannual variability of
low-flows in Poland as well as their influence on river regime, and also availability,
dynamics, and management of water resources in hydrological drought condition.
The study covered 17 gauging cross-sections closing small and middle catchments
as well as located in big, transit rivers. Basic data on daily discharge series was
collected in the years 1951–2015. Low-flow periods were identified with reference
to threshold level method matching 70 and 95 percentile at a flow duration curve as
constant, multiannual truncation level (Q 70 % , Q 95 % ). The research covered temporal
and spatial variability of minimum flows, low-flow duration, inter-low-flow spacing,
and rate of low-flows recession and rise. The maximum low-flow duration at different
levels of non-exceedance probability is analysed as well. As a result, there were indicate areas with a high-risk rating of water shortage hazardous for water ecosystems
and water management operations. Analysis of selected features of extreme low-flow
events is important. It allowed us to identify a group of determinants which should
be taken into consideration in low-flow river regime analysis. Also, it could help
in local water resources exploitation planning or in long-term strategies of water
management in the scale of the whole country.
Keywords Low-flows · Threshold level method · Hydrological drought · Flow
duration probability · Poland
E. Tomaszewski (B)
Department of Hydrology and Water Management, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University
of Łód´ z, Narutowicza 88, 90-131 Łód´ z, Poland
e-mail: edmund.tomaszewski@geo.uni.lodz.pl
K. Kubiak-Wójcicka
Department of Hydrology and Water Management, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial
Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toru´ n, Poland
e-mail: kubiak@umk.pl
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. Zeleˇ náková et al. (eds.), Management of Water Resources in Poland, Springer Water,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61965-7_11
205
Low-Flows in Polish Rivers
Edmund Tomaszewski and Katarzyna Kubiak-Wójcicka
Abstract The chapter discusses spatial, seasonal, and multiannual variability of
low-flows in Poland as well as their influence on river regime, and also availability,
dynamics, and management of water resources in hydrological drought condition.
The study covered 17 gauging cross-sections closing small and middle catchments
as well as located in big, transit rivers. Basic data on daily discharge series was
collected in the years 1951–2015. Low-flow periods were identified with reference
to threshold level method matching 70 and 95 percentile at a flow duration curve as
constant, multiannual truncation level (Q 70 % , Q 95 % ). The research covered temporal
and spatial variability of minimum flows, low-flow duration, inter-low-flow spacing,
and rate of low-flows recession and rise. The maximum low-flow duration at different
levels of non-exceedance probability is analysed as well. As a result, there were indicate areas with a high-risk rating of water shortage hazardous for water ecosystems
and water management operations. Analysis of selected features of extreme low-flow
events is important. It allowed us to identify a group of determinants which should
be taken into consideration in low-flow river regime analysis. Also, it could help
in local water resources exploitation planning or in long-term strategies of water
management in the scale of the whole country.
Keywords Low-flows · Threshold level method · Hydrological drought · Flow
duration probability · Poland
E. Tomaszewski (B)
Department of Hydrology and Water Management, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University
of Łód´ z, Narutowicza 88, 90-131 Łód´ z, Poland
e-mail: edmund.tomaszewski@geo.uni.lodz.pl
K. Kubiak-Wójcicka
Department of Hydrology and Water Management, Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial
Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toru´ n, Poland
e-mail: kubiak@umk.pl
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. Zeleˇ náková et al. (eds.), Management of Water Resources in Poland, Springer Water,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61965-7_11
205