The Vistula river and its riparian zones

Abstract

Vistula, the main Polish river, runs from the very south to the very north of Poland, draining 54% of its area. It serves as a source of water and at the same time as recipient of sewage. The pollution of the river is high in its upper reaches, where the country is heavily populated and industrialized. The pollution along the river fluctuates with the distribution of urban agglomerations and industry, but decreases towards the Baltic Sea, due to dilution and selfpurification. However, the load of nitrogen and phosphorus to the sea about 20% of the load from all Baltic countries is very high. Up to 50% of this load comes from dispersed sources. Despite of the heavy pollution, life in the river and its valley is thriving. The river, the many old river beds and rich vegetation in this valley are an ecological corridor along the whole country which is important for nature protection (including migrations of birds) and for recreation. A landscape park should be organized in the mist valuable middle course and upper part of low course of the Vistula. The river urgently needs measures to improve its purity: sewage purification plants, protective zones along most tributaries (such a zone along the Vistula itself is essentially sufficient), and improvement of the landscape management (especially agrotechnics) to decrease the load of substances to the Vistula and the Baltic Sea.