Inventory of Reservoirs of Key Significance for Water Management in Poland—Evaluation of Changes in Their Capacity

Łukasz Pieron, Damian Absalon, Michał Habel and Magdalena Matysik
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Łukasz Pieron: Doctoral School, University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
Damian Absalon: Silesian Water Centre, University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-007 Katowice, Poland
Michał Habel: Institute of Geography, Kazimierz Wielki University, 85-033 Bydgoszcz, Poland
Magdalena Matysik: Silesian Water Centre, University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-007 Katowice, Poland

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 23, 1-25

Abstract: Dam reservoirs constitute an important element of protection against floods and hydrological droughts, and they ensure the possibility of producing electricity. Loss of reservoirs’ storage capacity has a significant impact on the management of their water resources, including flood protection and counteracting the effects of drought and the possibility of producing electricity. The paper presents changes in the capacity of 47 reservoirs in Poland that have the status of key objects of protection against floods and hydrological drought. Based on the collected, unpublished data, the changes in capacity from the beginning of the reservoirs’ existence to 31 March 2021 were calculated, which allowed us to determine the total amount of lost capacity and the pace of the processes taking place. From the beginning of operation (average operation time 48 years), the capacity has decreased by about 5%, which means that almost 200 million m 3 less water is stored. Detailed analyses of the lost capacity also allowed for an illustrative presentation of forecasts for further changes in the short and long term. The results obtained represent a unique contribution to future national strategies for the management of sediment and reservoirs’ flood reserve and reduction of drought. The presentation of this problem seems to be important also in the context of climate change.

Keywords: retention reservoirs; reservoir capacity; retention; siltation; capacity management; flood protection; drought prevention; water–energy nexus (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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