Potential use of lakes as a component of small retention in Wielkopolska

¹ Institute of Meteorology and Water Managament – National Research Institute, Podleśna 61, 01-673 Warszawa, Poland
² Department of Hydrology and Water Management, Adam Mickiewicz University, B. Krygowskiego 10, 61-680 Poznań, Poland

^* Corresponding author: rugosa@op.pl

Abstract

In the context of the observed climatic changes, unfavourable extreme situations occur increasingly frequently, manifested by, among others, the occurrence of droughts and floods. In the case of Poland, the central part of the country, in administrative terms covering the Wielkopolskie Province, is considered a region with a deficit of water resources. Such a situation was and is determined by a combination of natural and artificial factors. The former ones result from low precipitation and high air temperatures. The latter are the effect of intensive economic development, including large-scale meliorations. Measures mitigating this unfavourable phenomenon are related to the expansion of small retention. Its scale in Wielkopolska is the largest in the country – both in terms of the number of objects and volume of accumulated water. The key component of increasing retention is damming of lakes. According to the presented results, considerable reserves are still available in its scope. With the assumption of increasing water level in lakes by 0.2 m, it could cause an increase in water resources by 31 million m³, and assuming such an increase at a level of 0.5 m, by 78 million m³.