What's going on: In the river catchment area Narew and Biebrza in the province Podlasie occurs hydrological drought. The reason for the lack of spring backwaters is Drought caused for long periods without rainfall and high temperatures in 2024. Now the key actions are to stop the water that is there as long as possible. In previous years, water strokes and mounted water flaps were built, inhibiting the outflow from oxbow lakes.
“There will be no backwaters”: In an interview with the Polish press agency, the director of the Narew National Park Grzegorz Piekarski assessed the situation on the Narew River as a tragic. He said that in the main trough The water level is about a meter lower than a year ago at the same time. – There is very little water, you can seethat the riverbed is not all filled, there are no backwaters that are characteristic in the spring in the park, so there is no interesting spring. There will be no backwaters – said Piekarski.
Biebrza with drought: The bad situation is also in the Biebrza River basin, and on the water gauge in Burzyna Water flow is five times lower than in 2024. In addition, there are low groundwater conditions. Director of the Biebrza National Park Artur Wiatr explained the Polish Press Agency that it was Third dry year in a rowand autumn without rainfall and snowless winter result in the fact that it is dry. “What accompanies in the spring in the Biebrza Valley, i.e. the backwaters to the horizon, we will not observe this year,” he said.
Surprising measurements: In an interview with Radio ZET, Grzegorz Walijewski with IMGW He assessed that in provinces Podlasie, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in the center of the country and in Kujawy “Earth begins to resemble a desert.” The expert emphasized that Hydrological drought has already been recorded at over 20 stations. – At this time of year it is a very serious result for hydrologists, because usually during this period maybe two or three stations showed such a situation – he explained. According to IMGW The situation in April and May will not improveand drought will continue to occur.
Higher prices? As noted in an interview with Rzeczpospolita, an expert in the agri-food sector in Bank Pekao Grzegorz Rykaczewski, Drought strongly affects the trade and prices of agricultural raw materials. The effects will only occur in spring, and the low water content in soil after winter will weaken the condition of winter, spring, fruit and vegetables. – if it was accompanied by a precipitation deficit during plant vegetation, then The risk of large losses in production will increase – he emphasized.
Climate change is intensified by extreme downpours and drought: Weather extremm – on the one hand violent downpours, on the other, waves of heat – are among the effects of climate change by scientists. While the annual rainfall may not change, their distribution will be different: The number of short -term rainfall increases, with heavy intensity, causing flooding, and in longer intervals between them are possible drought. In addition, rapid rainfall does not counteract drying so well, because the water quickly flows into watercourses. In the Document prepared by the Warsaw City Hall on the adaptation of climate change we read that In the years 1981-2013 “the number of days with heavy rainfall increased and higher unit rainfall values were recorded”. You can read more about the effects of the climate crisis and the solutions we have in the fight with it on the site Green.gazeta.pl.
More: Also read the article by Patryk Strzałkowski “The opposition criticized the ministry for a forest moratorium. After a year, the ministry showed what its impact was“.
Sources: Polish Press Agency, Hydro IMGW-PIB, Radio ZET, Republic