European Watershed Research Articles

LVIV UNITED TERRITORIAL COMMUNITY RIVER BASIN STRUCTURE

The main hydrographic, hydromorphological and hydroecological features of the Lviv United Territorial Community (UTC) have been analyzed, in particular: a) the location of the city of Lviv on the Main European Watershed; b) transformation of surface water runoff as a result of the general sewage network and reclamation systems functioning, industrial peat extraction, residential and industrial construction. These features compose the delimitation of surface water bodies, which had been provided by the guidelines of the Water Framework Di-rective of the European Union (WFD). As a result of progressive urban expansion, the area of the territorial community of the city constantly increased from 0.5 km2 (end of the 14th century) to 31.66 km2 (end of the 19th century), 66.6 km2 (middle of the 20th century), 182 km2 (second half of the 20th century), 311.4 km2 in 2020. Correspondingly, the area ratio of the Baltic and Black Sea peripheral drainage areas changed. The assessment of the surface water delimitation scheme body, proposed by the State Water Agency and highlighted on the geoportal “Water Resources of Ukraine”, was carried out. It has been established that the main shortcoming of this scheme is non-compliance with the principle of coherence of surface water bodies to catchment areas provided for by the EU WFD. By means of computer processing of the high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of Lviv (UTC), in an automated mode, a watershed network of surface water coherent bodies has been built. According to the assessment of the surface runoff transformation degree, the identified massifs are identified by categories: natural, significantly changed, artificial. The territory of the city of Lviv, which is covered by a general sewage network, is classified as an "artificial body of surface water". It is assigned to the Vistula basin area, despite the fact that 14.95 km2 of the massif is located in the topographic catchment of the Dniester. Watersheds that include reclamation systems are classified as "significantly changed bodies of surface water" According to the assessment of the surface runoff transformation degree, the identified bodies have been identified by categories: natural, significantly changed, artificial. The main morphometric indicators of the watersheds of the proposed surface water bodies have been determined, in particular the following: a) "water catchment length"; b) "average width of the catchment"; c) "water catchment asymmetry coefficient; c) "coefficient of compactness of the catchment". The correct definition of river basins structure is the first necessary step in implementing the provisions of the EU WFD into the practice of water resources management in Ukraine. Further actions provided in River Basin Management plans depend on this step Key words: river basin; surface water; body of surface water; surface runoff; transformation of flow.

High-Resolution Direct Push Sensing in Wetland Geoarchaeology—First Traces of Off-Site Construction Activities at the Fossa Carolina

Wetland environments, with their excellent conservation conditions, provide geoarchaeological archives of past human activities. However, the subsurface soil is difficult to access due to high groundwater tables, unstable sediments, and the high cost of excavation. In this study, we present a ground-based non- and minimal-invasive prospection concept adapted to the conditions of wetlands. We investigated the Fossa Carolina in South Germany, a canal that was intended in 792/793 AD by Charlemagne to bridge the Central European Watershed. Although the resulting Carolingian banks and the fairway with wooden revetments are very imposing, archaeological traces of off-site construction activities have not been identified hitherto. Based on a geophysically surveyed intensive linear magnetic anomaly parallel to the Carolingian canal, we aimed to prove potential off-site traces of Carolingian construction activities. In this context, we built up a high-resolution cross-section using highly depth-accurate direct push sensing and ground-truthing. Our results showed the exact geometry of the canal and the former banks. Thus, the magnetic mass anomaly could be clearly located between the buried organic-rich topsoil and the Carolingian banks. The thermoluminescence dating showed that the position of the magnetic mass anomaly reflected Carolingian activities during the construction phases, specifically due to heat exposure. Moreover, we found hints of the groundwater supply to the 5-metre wide navigable fairway.

GREEN SPACES IN CITIES AND SURROUNDINGS. SEARCH FOR THE WAYS TO OPTIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONS IN THE CONCEPT OF «GREAT LVIV»

Forming of green spaces in Lviv has a long-lasting historical tradition starting from city inclusion into Austro-Hungarian Empire and continuing in the period be-tween wars (Polish) (1919–1939) and German-Soviet period (1939–1989). Landscap-ing was treated differently in these periods. Relevant approaches to city landscaping and architectural techniques were formed. Currently the intensification and concen-tration of developments is taking place in the city, anthropological pressure on bio-logically active city territories is growing, “green islands” are disappearing, air pollu-tion is increasing, integrity and continuity of green spaces are being violated and the requirements enshrined in the laws, rules and urban planning documents are not com-plied with. The number of green spaces in the city is reducing and their quality is de-teriorating. Characteristics of natural-landscape conditions of Lviv suburban zone and its resources indicates the unique natural-landscape peculiarities of the territory: it is lo-cated on the main European watershed. There are certain natural areas here with complicated configuration (geomorphological area of Lviv Roztochya, Lviv plateau, Hryadove Pobuzhzhya (banks along the tributaries of the Western Bug River), plain of Small Polissya, etc). The corresponding regimen of “nature’s life” was formed. The system of settlement in suburban areas has been formed historically and is de-pendent on natural-landscape conditions: the khutir (isolated farmstead) system is preserved in the Western direction; established settlement system was ruined in the course of construction of military training area; settlements are concentrated towards the direction of Lviv and transport communications. New construction within the area under research is characterized by non-systemic and chaotic nature — the decisive role here is played by specialists in land management, who set the perspectives of set-tlements development and urbanization processes expansion by their local decisions. In general, the territories have considerable natural-landscape capacity and reserves for development. However, the integral concept of landscapes protection and per-spective use and development of Lviv suburbs is lacking. Main activity is taking place at the level of newly created territorial communities, creating environmental and social-economic threats for Lviv and the territories in future. The problems of green spaces and their interaction with surroundings are out-lined. Main attention is focused on project mistakes and violations of standards and requirements of urban planning documents. Analysis of strategic documents devel-oped in the recent decades shows that they are of declarative nature; there isn’t any objective statistics; the structure is not developed and city processes are not moni-tored; local programs and experts’ views are manipulated. Of special concern are the issues of ignoring of master plan requirements, speculative approach of local territo-rial communities to development and use of territories (including the development of nature protection areas); orientation solely on capital inflow. Existing suggestions on improvement of environmental situation in the city and optimization of city interac-tion with surroundings are examined and the authors’ suggestions are outlined. Lviv and its suburbs will have to change — to be oriented on human-centered and envi-ronmentally sound approach to co-existence, improvement of socio-environmental-economic efficiency of the use of resources, — which the concept of urban planning system “Great Lviv” is oriented on.

ГОЛОВНИЙ ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКИЙ ВОДОДІЛ В УКРАЇНІ ТА ЙОГО ТУРИСТИЧНЕ ЗНАЧЕННЯ

Objective: On the basis of general geographical analysis to reveal the tourist potential of the Main European watershed on the territory of Ukraine. Method. General scientific methods of analysis, synthesis and generalization as well as cartographic methods by the means of GIS have been used. Results:The peculiarities of the geographical location of the Main European Watershed on a European scale have been analyzed. New facts from the history of its research have been presented. A hypsometric profile along the watershed line has been constructed, its morphometric parameters have been determined. With the help of detailed cartographic analysis, the Ukrainian section of the Main European Watershed line has been identified. Its location in relation to the physical and geographical zoning has been determined. A regional analysis of tourist facilities attractiveness on the watershed line has been conducted. Cross-border and domestic transport opportunities for access to the watershed line have been assessed. The coordinate reference of the most important orohydrographic elements - the points of watersheds intersection of large transboundary rivers basins: Danube, Vistula, Dniester, Dnieper, as well as their tourist significance have been specified. Possibilities of tourist use of nature reserve fund objects which are located on the watershed line have been revealed, in particular of such national natural parks, as Uzhanian National Nature Park, Boikivschyna National Nature Park, Yavorivskyi National Park, Northern Podillia, Shatsk National Natural Park. The importance of the watershed for sustainable (ecologically oriented) tourism development in international biosphere reserves: "The Eastern Carpathians" (Slovak-Ukrainian-Polish), "Roztochia" (Ukrainian-Polish), "Western Polissya" (Polish-Ukrainian-Belarusian) has been demonstrated. Touristic assessment of historical and cultural sites located on the watershed line has been conducted. The importance of the city of Lviv as a separate tourist destination has been emphasized. Environmental problems related to the development of tourist resources have been outlined. Selected tourist clusters of the destination have been identified, the possibilities of their use have been revealed. The Main European Watershed specifics in general tourist resources classification have been emphasized. Scientific novelty: For the first time, the Main European Watershed has been considered as a separate integrated tourist destination, its detailed geographical analysis has been performed, and a cluster approach has been used to assess the tourist resources located on the watershed line. Practical significance. The results of the study will contribute to the integration process of Ukraine into the European tourist area, give impetus to new tourist routes planning, promote the development of tourist resources of national natural and regional landscape parks, support tourist clusters planning and developing.

Non-invasive prospection techniques and direct push sensing as high-resolution validation tools in wetland geoarchaeology – Artificial water supply at a Carolingian canal in South Germany?

The prospection of (geo-)archaeological sites yield important knowledge about the concept and the utilisation of pre-historical and historical infrastructure. The satisfactory conduction of classical prospection methods like archaeological excavations or geoarchaeological vibra-coring might be challenging in the case of large sites or difficult underground conditions. This is particularly problematic in wetlands featuring a high groundwater table and high compaction rates of organic layers.In this study, we provide an alternative and non- to minimal-invasive exploration approach to discover hydro-engineering structures for artificial water supply in the surrounding of a Carolingian summit canal in South Germany. The Early Medieval Fossa Carolina was intended 792/793 CE to bridge the Central European watershed between Rhine-Main and Danube catchments. As the canal was constructed as a summit canal, an artificial water supply at the highest levels seemed very likely or even obligatory. In order to explore these obligatory hydro-engineering features, we use a wide range of on-site and off-site tools in a spatial hierarchical way. Our approach includes the large-scale SQUID magnetic survey and the sighting of historical maps. Furthermore, we integrate high-resolution direct push colour logs, and subsequent vibra-coring for small-scale stratigraphical verification and sedimentological analyses.The SQUID magnetic survey and related depth models discover two pronounced linear anomalies that might represent potential artificial water inlets in the North-Eastern and Northern Sections of the canal. I) In the North-Eastern Section, direct push colour logs, vibra-coring and 14C dating provide no evidence for a Carolingian hydro-engineering feature but reveal a natural lenticular structure of Early Holocene age. II) The linear magnetic anomaly in the Northern Section can be excluded with high probability as a hydro-engineering structure as well. Here, direct push colour logs, vibra-coring, 14C dating and the comparison with a historic map reveal evidence for a historic gravel road. Thus, we have nicely verified the magnetic information but have no prove for an artificial Carolingian water inlet from the Swabian Rezat River that contradicts with assumptions of former studies.

Фізико-географічна характеристика Лемківщини

The article presents the physical-geographical characteristics of the Lemkos’ ethnic territory, the farthest western ethnographic group of Ukrainians who have long inhabited the slopes of the Carpathians Eastern Beskids. Lemkivshchyna is located on both slopes of the Carpathian Beskids between the Borzhava and San rivers in the east and Poprad and Dunajec in the west, located in three countries. The total area is about 9 000 km2. Lemkivschyna occupies the largest area within the mountainous part of South-Eastern Poland (48 %), less in the mountainous part of north-eastern Slovakia (41 %), the least in the Trans¬carpathian region of Ukraine (11 %). Most of the territory of Lemkivshchyna is located in the Carpathian lowlands of the Eastern Beskids. Only some peaks have a height of more than 1 000 m. The highest peak is Tarnitsa (1 346 m a.s.l.) on the Bukovo Berdo ridge. Lemkivshchyna is located in the temperate climate zone of Europe, which is formed under the influence of the western transfer of the Atlantic air masses. In addition, the climatic characteristics are influenced by the terrain, altitude, exposure of the slopes, the direction of extension of the mountain valleys. The territory of Lemkivshchyna lies on the Main European Watershed. The rivers that originate in the northern macro-slope of the Low Beskid are tributaries of the Vistula (the Baltic Sea basin). The rivers of the southern macro-slope are tributaries of the Tisza River, which flows into the Danube (the Black Sea basin). The largest river in the Lemky region is the San (444 km in length). Another tributary of the Vistula is the Vislok (165 km). The mountain rivers that originate on the southern slopes of the Low Beskid River flow in a meridional direction to the south and belong to the Tisza basin. The largest among them are Gorand (286 km), Poprad (169 km), Laborets (129 km), Ondava (112 km in length). The rivers of Lemkivshchyna are characterized by mixed food dominated by snow. Boundaries are observed in winter and during the dry season in summer. Floods can occur at any time of the year during heavy rainfall. The mountain-forest soils of Lemkivshchyna are formed on flysch rocks under beech and fir forests. Soils of low power (up to 75 cm), often stony, characterized by high acidity, poor in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron. Mountain-meadow soils were formed in the subalpine meadows. The processes of accumulation of peat and organic material are observed on the watersheds and sites of poor runoff. The geographical location of Lemkivshchyna causes the vertical extent of the vegetation cover, which differs from the other mountain ranges of the Carpathians. Belt of deciduous forests, rising to an altitude of 1 156 m. is mainly represented with beech forests. The belt of the Polonynian subalpine meadows that developed under the influence of a long pasture farm is above the beech forests. About 1 000 species of vascular plants, more than 600 species of mosses and lichens, and many algae and fungi have been found in the Lemky region. A modern feature of the vegetation cover of Lemkivshchyna is the natural regeneration of forests, which occurred after the expulsion of the ethnic population from these territories. More than 200 species of vertebrates have been found in the Lemky region. Key words: Lemkivshchyna, physical and geographical conditions, relief of the Eastern Beskids, hydrography, vegetation.

Tree rings reveal dry conditions during Charlemagne’s Fossa Carolina construction in 793 CE

The first navigable canal across the main European watershed in southern Germany was the most ambitious and visionary hydro-engineering project of the Early Middle Ages, known as Charlemagne’s Fossa Carolina. Hydrological conditions would have been crucial for both the construction process and subsequent navigability. Written sources specify that heavy rain was a crucial factor for the abandonment of the project in late 793 CE, a few months after digging began. Our understanding of past climate variability in this region is, however, limited by the lack of high-resolution proxy archives. Here, we use annually resolved and absolutely dated ring-width measurements of 2469 drought sensitive oaks (Quercus sp.) from Bavaria, Germany, to reconstruct regional changes in hydroclimate back to 500 CE. Periods of anomalously dry summers occurred from ∼600 to 800, ∼900–1000, ∼1200–1400 and ∼1700–1900 CE, whereas increased humidity characterized the 9th century, High Middle Ages (11th–12th century) and the 17th century CE. Relatively dry conditions during the construction period favoured the building progress of the Fossa Carolina. However, the heavy rain which stopped the project in 793 CE is not reflected in radial oak growth. This is likely related to i) the historically recorded event happened outside the growing season and ii) compared to dry extremes, wet extremes are generally less pronounced in tree-ring width. Nevertheless, our results provide the first local hydroclimate reconstruction covering the entire Early Middle Ages and thus, placing the Fossa Carolina in a long-term high-resolution environmental perspective.

3D-Modelling of Charlemagne’s Summit Canal (Southern Germany)—Merging Remote Sensing and Geoarchaeological Subsurface Data

The Early Medieval Fossa Carolina is the first hydro-engineering construction that bridges the Central European Watershed. The canal was built in 792/793 AD on order of Charlemagne and should connect the drainage systems of the Rhine-Main catchment and the Danube catchment. In this study, we show for the first time, the integration of Airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and geoarchaeological subsurface datasets with the aim to create a 3D-model of Charlemagne’s summit canal. We used a purged Digital Terrain Model that reflects the pre-modern topography. The geometries of buried canal cross-sections are derived from three archaeological excavations and four high-resolution direct push sensing transects. By means of extensive core data, we interpolate the trench bottom and adjacent edges along the entire canal course. As a result, we are able to create a 3D-model that reflects the maximum construction depth of the Carolingian canal and calculate an excavation volume of approx. 297,000 m3. Additionally, we compute the volume of the present dam remnants by Airborne LiDAR data. Surprisingly, the volume of the dam remnants reveals only 120,000 m3 and is much smaller than the computed Carolingian excavation volume. The difference reflects the erosion and anthropogenic overprint since the 8th century AD.

Which Compounds Contribute Most to Elevated Soil Pollution and the Corresponding Health Risks in Floodplains in the Headwater Areas of the Central European Watershed?

The main topic of this study is a human health risk assessment of a defined exposure scenario in the floodplain soils of the headwater areas of the central European watershed, with the aim of exploring both multivariate and regional data structures. Flood-prone areas are recognized worldwide to be susceptible to contamination and its redistribution. Contributions of various classes of toxic compounds (organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)) to human health risks were assessed in a screening risk assessment. However, due to the relative nature of our data and a high PAH dominancy over the data ensemble, reliance solely on the standard statistical processing of raw data might lead to incomplete insight into the structure of the multivariate data. Explanatory analysis of the data structure using the compositional approach was found to be beneficial to elucidating human health risk profiles and provided robust evidence that a contrast between agricultural and airborne industrial pollution controlled the whole human toxicological variation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in floodplain soils. These results were effectively quantified with the subcomposition of benzo(a)pyrene, DDT, and alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (aHCH), allowing for an interpretation of structural differences in regional pollution patterns, which conferred different extents and compositions of human health risks in floodplain soils.

Integrating Land and Water – The Federsee Logboats in the Context of Prehistoric Traffic Across the European Watershed

ABSTRACTIn the Federsee basin, a large bog in the pre-alpine foreland of Upper Swabia/Southern Germany, hitherto 58 logboats have been discovered. This outstanding large number of watercraft raises questions on the interrelationship between Federsee bog and the Main European Watershed. At the southern edge of Federsee basin, the riverine systems of Rhine and Danube rivers are separated only by few kilometres of dry land. It is to be suggested that this isthmus between the two large European river systems was used as a portage and part of a traffic system that integrated land and water routes. A multitude of ethnographic and historical evidence indicates that portages played an important role in landscapes with poor conditions for land transport. In contrast, archaeological observations on portages are generally very scarce. Direct archaeological evidence is also lacking at Federsee. A potential Federsee portage remains therefore hypothetical.

Charlemagne's summit canal: an early medieval hydro-engineering project for passing the Central European Watershed.

The Central European Watershed divides the Rhine-Main catchment and the Danube catchment. In the Early Medieval period, when ships were important means of transportation, Charlemagne decided to link both catchments by the construction of a canal connecting the Schwabian Rezat and the Altmühl rivers. The artificial waterway would provide a continuous inland navigation route from the North Sea to the Black Sea. The shortcut is known as Fossa Carolina and represents one of the most important Early Medieval engineering achievements in Europe. Despite the important geostrategic relevance of the construction it is not clarified whether the canal was actually used as a navigation waterway. We present new geophysical data and in situ findings from the trench fills that prove for the first time a total length of the constructed Carolingian canal of at least 2300 metres. We have evidence for a conceptual width of the artificial water course between 5 and 6 metres and a water depth of at least 60 to 80 cm. This allows a crossing way passage of Carolingian cargo scows with a payload of several tons. There is strong evidence for clayey to silty layers in the trench fills which reveal suspension load limited stillwater deposition and, therefore, the evidence of former Carolingian and post-Carolingian ponds. These findings are strongly supported by numerous sapropel layers within the trench fills. Our results presented in this study indicate an extraordinarily advanced construction level of the known course of the canal. Here, the excavated levels of Carolingian trench bottoms were generally sufficient for the efficient construction of stepped ponds and prove a final concept for a summit canal. We have evidence for the artificial Carolingian dislocation of the watershed and assume a sophisticated Early Medieval hydrological engineering concept for supplying the summit of the canal with adequate water.

Breaching the Central European Watershed – New geoarchaeological Findings about the early medieval Fossa Carolina (Franconian Jura, Southern Germany)

Breaching the Central European Watershed – New geoarchaeological Findings about the early medieval Fossa Carolina (Franconian Jura, Southern Germany)

Sensitivity analysis of distributed environmental simulation models: understanding the model behaviour in hydrological studies at the catchment scale

The development of new hydrological simulation tools allows for the modelling of large hydrological catchments, with the aim of comprehensive management of the water resources, control of diffuse pollution processes, such as the fate of agricultural fertilizants and finally, with purposes of economical optimization of the crop yields as a function of the expected climate, the watershed characteristics and the socio-economical conditions of the region where the catchment is located. This paper describes the sensitivity analysis of a hydrological distributed model applied in one large European watershed by using a two-step procedure. Firstly, it allows for the consideration of a huge input parameter data set by using an implementation of the Morris screening procedure, eschewing the huge computational requirements arising from the necessary repetitive simulations. In the second step it provides quantitative estimations of sensitivity in terms of variance decomposition procedures based upon the FAST method for both the hydrological and the water quality determinants.

The impact of morphostructural development on the extension of the North European Ice at the main European watershed in the Moravian Gate (Czech Republic)

The territory of the Czech Republic has been investigated by geographers for many decades. The Moravian Gate situated in the eastern part of the Czech Republic, became a place of high human concentration due to its geographical location. Geomorphological research in the Czech republic has reached an impressive level in the field of both the morphostructure of the whole territory and the extent of glaciation. The article treats the relationship between the morphostructure and the extent of glaciation in a geographically complicated region. Both of these have been investigated separately. The synthesis of all results brings new knowledge and suggestions for future research in the region close to the main European watershed. The paper is completed on the basis of the author's research including the complex geomorphological analysis, especially morphostructural and morfosculptural analysis, the investigation of the features and genesis of georelief, the digital elevation model of studied area, the detailed geomorphological mapping in 1:10.000 scale and the compilation of denudation chronology.

Scandinavian glaciations in the Bohemian Massif and Carpathian Foredeep and their relationship to the extraglacial areas

THE BOHEMIAN MASSIF The North European glaciations reached the northernmost part of the Bohemian Massif during the Elster and Saale (sensu lato) glacial stages. As for the Carpathian Foredeep, between the Bohemian Massif and Carpathian system, the ice advanced to the main European watershed between the Baltic and Black Seas. Glaciated and extraglacial are as are linked by the terrace systems of the rivers Labe (Elbe) , Ploucnice , Nisa and by the rivers of Northern Morava (Macoun et al., 1965; Sibrava, 1967). In the Carpathian Foredeep, south of the ice margin. terraces of the Morava and its tributaries represent the main link with the Danube terrace system which is in turn connected, through its tributaries , to the Alpine glaciations . The Carpathian Foredeep together with the Rhine valley is an important area for correlation of Quaternary stratigraphy between north European glaciated ar eas (and extraglacial zones) and the Alps. During the Elster and Saale glacial stages, Scandinavian ice advanced to the main European watershed near Hranice (49°30'). Quaternary sediments in the glaciated are a are represented by glaciofluvial, glaciolacustrine and glacigenic deposits from both glaciations. fluvial and proluvial deposits and by mostly decalcified eolian The Elster glaciations advanced into Czechoslovak sediments with buried fossil soils. territory in the northern part of the Bohemian Massif. South of the ice margin, fluvial deposits and exThe following Saale glaciation advanced to a lesser tensive loess covered eolian deposits are subdivided by ext ent and left its deposits north of the marginal well developed soil complexes; relatively dry paleomountain ranges of the Bohemian Massif in the climatic conditions are reflected in the typology of fossil G.D .R. and Poland. In the Elbe valley, between soils . Those of interglacial age are represented by Dresden and Pima, sediments of this glaciation overlie typical parabrownearth . Also of stratigraphic importthe fluvial gravels of a middle terrace , attributed to the ance are organic horizons and travertines which are rich Drenthe glacial stage (Sibrava, 1972) . in paleontological evidence. The Elster glacial in Bohemia is represented by two The basic stratigraphic system for the glaciated area advances , assigned to the Early (E1) and Late Elster was established by Macoun et al. (1965) . The deposits (E2) . No interglacial deposits or fossil soils are known of Scandinavian ice are represented by tills and by between both ice advances ; but both the petrographic glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine deposits from the composition as well as lithology of the glacial deposits Elster and Saale glaciations. Zebera (1958) considered differ substantially (Sibrava , 1967). The Elster 2 glacial most of the deposits in front of the ice-lobe to be deposits grade into the upper layer of the 'Bohatice glaciolacustrine and believed in the existence of a large terrace' of the River Ploucnice . This terrace , consists of ice-dammed lake which reached up to the main two limits, the upper containing a mixture of nordic European watershed. pebbles which represents a link between the glaciated Macoun (1981) described three tills of Elster age and and non-glaciated areas. Near Usti, it enters the terrace three belonging to the Saale (Drenthe stage) glaciation . system of the Labe (Elbe) river which is thus linked to A parautochtonous fossil soil (gleyed brownearth) the Elster and Saale glaciations. The Usti terrace lies developed on the surface of the lowermost till shows a stratigraphically between two glaciations prior to the warm interglacial between the Elster tHis. The three Drenthe glacial stage, and is covered by loessic deposits Saale tills were probably laid down during repeated with three interglacial soil complexes (Buckova et al., advances or oscillations of the ice; intervening warmer 1967) : it is ascribed to the cold period within the periods were not more than interstadial in character Elster-Saale interglacial (Fuhne glacial stage according and represent only minor retreats of the ice .

Micropaleeontology in engineering geological and geotechnical research for large hydrotechnical projects

In engineering geotechnical research for large hydrotechnical projects in marine pelitic sediments, micropalaeontological studies were applied with success resulting in a complex solution of the engineering geological conditions of these structures. The paper describes a case of a vast landslide area west of the town of Ceska Třebova (East Bohemia), and along the projected hilly section of the Danube-Odra-Labe navigational channel line across the European watershed. In the area studied, not only quiescent fossil landslides but also various subrecent and recent active slope movements were recorded. They developed in tectonically disturbed sequences of the uncompetent pelitic sediments of the Upper Cretaceous Basin of Bohemia, which are covered by denudational relics of plastic pelites, belonging to the Carpathian Neogene and tectonically sunk into graben. In this vast landslide area under consideration, the micropalaeontological method has contributed to the elucidation of the very complicated engineering geological conditions.