Chapter 12
Dynamics, Range, and Severity
of Hydrological Drought in Poland
Edmund Tomaszewski and Malwina Kozek
Abstract The chapter discusses a phenomenon of hydrological drought based on
the assumption that river low flow serves as a good estimator of the drought development. The study analyzed 87 catchments of Polish rivers with a total surface
exceeding 317 thousand km
2 , and covering almost the entire area of the country.
Basic data on daily series of discharges at the gauging cross-sections closing the
catchments were collected in the years 1985–2014. Low flows 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 identification and
separation criteria allowed for identification and analysis of the course of mild and
severe hydrological droughts in Poland. The research covered parameters describing
duration, severity, range, and identification of periods with different patterns of hydrological drought development. An analysis of multiannual and seasonal variability of
the phenomenon and selected genetic relationships enabled identification and evaluation of the factors determining the development of hydrological drought in Poland.
Seasonal properties of the drought were additionally assessed with a two-parameter
analysis of seasonality degree and concentration date involving angular measures.
The study findings and conclusions are of cognitive as well as practical nature and
can be applied to improve the effectiveness of water management aimed at mitigating
the effects of drought.
Keywords Hydrological drought · Low flows · Threshold level method · Flow
seasonality · Poland
E. Tomaszewski (B) · M. Kozek
Department of Hydrology and Water Management, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University
of Łód´ z, 88 Narutowicza Str, 90-139 Łód´ z, Poland
e-mail: edmund.tomaszewski@geo.uni.lodz.pl
M. Kozek
e-mail: malwina.kozek@geo.uni.lodz.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_12
229
Dynamics, Range, and Severity
of Hydrological Drought in Poland
Edmund Tomaszewski and Malwina Kozek
Abstract The chapter discusses a phenomenon of hydrological drought based on
the assumption that river low flow serves as a good estimator of the drought development. The study analyzed 87 catchments of Polish rivers with a total surface
exceeding 317 thousand km
2 , and covering almost the entire area of the country.
Basic data on daily series of discharges at the gauging cross-sections closing the
catchments were collected in the years 1985–2014. Low flows 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 identification and
separation criteria allowed for identification and analysis of the course of mild and
severe hydrological droughts in Poland. The research covered parameters describing
duration, severity, range, and identification of periods with different patterns of hydrological drought development. An analysis of multiannual and seasonal variability of
the phenomenon and selected genetic relationships enabled identification and evaluation of the factors determining the development of hydrological drought in Poland.
Seasonal properties of the drought were additionally assessed with a two-parameter
analysis of seasonality degree and concentration date involving angular measures.
The study findings and conclusions are of cognitive as well as practical nature and
can be applied to improve the effectiveness of water management aimed at mitigating
the effects of drought.
Keywords Hydrological drought · Low flows · Threshold level method · Flow
seasonality · Poland
E. Tomaszewski (B) · M. Kozek
Department of Hydrology and Water Management, Faculty of Geographical Sciences, University
of Łód´ z, 88 Narutowicza Str, 90-139 Łód´ z, Poland
e-mail: edmund.tomaszewski@geo.uni.lodz.pl
M. Kozek
e-mail: malwina.kozek@geo.uni.lodz.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_12
229