Environmental Considerations of Development of the lower Vistula River

Abstract

For a long time, the Vistula River has been transformed and developed in order to better fulfil its economic functions. In spite of these changes, the river has very precious natural values, due to which it is covered by area legal protection, dominated by the Natura 2000 network. Environmental requirements related to Natura 2000 conservation and resulting from the Water Framework Directive – confirmed in Polish law (Environmental Protection Law, Water Law) – constitute part of the EU strategy within the scope of water management. Thus, they need to be considered in measures related to river transformation. This significantly reduces investment opportunities and complicates the process of investment preparation. Fuller diagnosis of the environmental condition including the impact of changeability of hydrological, hydraulic and morphological considerations on protected nature resources is necessary for reasonable conservation of Natura 2000 network areas, carrying out investment in these areas, as well as for conducting measures compensating possible harmful interference with the environment. The need for economic functions of the Vistula River and simultaneous necessity to consider environmental protection requirements, indicates the need to carry out compromise solutions of river development. This study presents some more important conditions of reaching such solutions. DOI: 10.12736/issn.2300-3022.2013205 Introduction Just like other large rivers, the Vistula River (Wisla) performs important economic functions and has played a significant role in development for hundreds of years. That is why for a long time economic functions of rivers have been formed by opinions on opportunities and visions of their exploitation, necessary transformations and development. Such a role of rivers has resulted in the implementation of engineering works adjusting rivers to navigational functions, or in their development to use the energy potential. In recent decades, it has been proved that rivers and valleys have not only undisputable economic functions, but also very precious – sometimes unique – environmental values strictly related to their naturalness [4, 7, 10]. Therefore, environmental expectations against concerning rivers and valleys are clearly contrary to economic needs. The economy requires independence from the randomness of phenomena and conditions occurring in rivers, as well as the possibility of shaping them according to needs, while the environment expects maintenance of natural conditions, which is strictly connected with limited human interference. This study aims to present issues concerning implementation of undertakings related to development of the Vistula River (Wisla) with modern considerations resulting from expectations of environmental protection. Current status of development of the lower Vistula River Hydrographically, the Vistula River (Wisla) is divided into three sections: upper – from the Przemsza River mouth to the San River mouth, middle – from the San River mouth to the Narew River mouth, and lower – from the Narew River mouth to the sea mouth. The development status of particular sections is different [9, 12]. The upper Vistula River (gorna Wisla) (section approx. 280 km long) is approx. 60% engineered. A part of this section (approx. 70 km) constitutes the waterway of the upper Vistula River (gorna Wisla) from Oświecim to Krakow, built in the years 1949–2002, with navigational conditions enabling transport of barges with a capacity of 1,000 tons. The middle Vistula River (Wisla Środkowa), on the section approx. 270 km long, flows freely and is partially engineered. This part of the Vistula River (Wisla) is characterised with the greatest naturalness of the J. Żelazo | Acta Energetica 2/15 (2013) | 69–76