3 Administration of Water Resources Management: Key Facts …
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to the Polish code of laws, mainly through the Water Law act. The integrated water
resources management (IWRM) in Poland faces significant problems, which will be
presented in this article. Moreover, Poland is in the course of political changes related
to government change which occurred at the end of 2015. Significant changes in the
scheme of organizational water management were initiated in January 2018.
3.2 History of Water Management in Poland Until 2001
Formal water management in Poland dates back to the early twentieth century when
the first bill of Water Law of 19 September 1922 was passed. The bases of the
draft were two documents: the Austrian Water Act of 30 May 1869 from which the
ownership matters were taken, and the Prussian Water Law of 7 April 1913 from
which the issues of water use were taken.
The term “water management” was used for the first time in Poland at the end
of the 1920s during the discussion of the subject and organizational assumptions of
the First Polish Hydrotechnical Convention. After the Second World War, the issues
of water management in Poland were initially entrusted to the Ministry of Transport
(Department of Waterways), and in 1948 water management was handed over to
the Ministry of Shipping. In 1960, the Central Office for Water Management was
established, which was to deal with the entirety of water management in Poland.
Subsequent Water Law acts were passed on May 30th, 1962 and October 24th,
1974 and were related to the socialist system in Poland. Water management in that
period was based on the administrative division of the state, according to the division
into voivodeships. Changes in water management are related to system transformation in Poland which started in 1989. The administration, maintenance and operation
of the State Treasury assets (i.e., rivers of special importance, waterways, water
reservoirs, and water infrastructure) were dealt with by the Regional Water Management Authorities. On February 1st 1991, the Ministry of Environment Protection,
Natural Resources, and Forestry appointed 7 Regional Water Management Authorities, that borders followed the hydrographic (and not the administrative division) of
the country.
Regional Water Management Directorates which were established to maintain
waters owned by the State Treasury and Regional Water Management Authorities
were functioning in parallel. Pursuant to the Ordinance of the Minister of Environment of November 29, 1999, regarding the reorganization and scope of operation
of regional water management boards, changes were introduced in the administrative structure of water management. On January 1, 2000, regional directorates
were merged with regional management boards, summing up their existing tasks
and assuming further reform of water management based on the new Water Law of
2001. Changes in the field of water management resulted from the administrative
reform of the Polish state, which came into force on January 1, 1999. As a result
25
to the Polish code of laws, mainly through the Water Law act. The integrated water
resources management (IWRM) in Poland faces significant problems, which will be
presented in this article. Moreover, Poland is in the course of political changes related
to government change which occurred at the end of 2015. Significant changes in the
scheme of organizational water management were initiated in January 2018.
3.2 History of Water Management in Poland Until 2001
Formal water management in Poland dates back to the early twentieth century when
the first bill of Water Law of 19 September 1922 was passed. The bases of the
draft were two documents: the Austrian Water Act of 30 May 1869 from which the
ownership matters were taken, and the Prussian Water Law of 7 April 1913 from
which the issues of water use were taken.
The term “water management” was used for the first time in Poland at the end
of the 1920s during the discussion of the subject and organizational assumptions of
the First Polish Hydrotechnical Convention. After the Second World War, the issues
of water management in Poland were initially entrusted to the Ministry of Transport
(Department of Waterways), and in 1948 water management was handed over to
the Ministry of Shipping. In 1960, the Central Office for Water Management was
established, which was to deal with the entirety of water management in Poland.
Subsequent Water Law acts were passed on May 30th, 1962 and October 24th,
1974 and were related to the socialist system in Poland. Water management in that
period was based on the administrative division of the state, according to the division
into voivodeships. Changes in water management are related to system transformation in Poland which started in 1989. The administration, maintenance and operation
of the State Treasury assets (i.e., rivers of special importance, waterways, water
reservoirs, and water infrastructure) were dealt with by the Regional Water Management Authorities. On February 1st 1991, the Ministry of Environment Protection,
Natural Resources, and Forestry appointed 7 Regional Water Management Authorities, that borders followed the hydrographic (and not the administrative division) of
the country.
Regional Water Management Directorates which were established to maintain
waters owned by the State Treasury and Regional Water Management Authorities
were functioning in parallel. Pursuant to the Ordinance of the Minister of Environment of November 29, 1999, regarding the reorganization and scope of operation
of regional water management boards, changes were introduced in the administrative structure of water management. On January 1, 2000, regional directorates
were merged with regional management boards, summing up their existing tasks
and assuming further reform of water management based on the new Water Law of
2001. Changes in the field of water management resulted from the administrative
reform of the Polish state, which came into force on January 1, 1999. As a result