The concept for protection of flood plain forests in the Uroczysko Warta forest district

Flood plain forests are the richest and highly picturesque forest ecosystems. Unfortunately, river regulation and flood control contribute to their degradation. In Poland only 0.2% of total area is covered by flood plain forests. The Uroczysko Warta forest district constitutes one of the most important clusters of these sites. The construction of the Jeziorsko reservoir in the middle course of the Warta River has contributed to changes in the river regime (reduced flooding areas and decreased flooding frequency). It seems that the use of simple land improvement systems, i.e. gates, river bars and culverts with flap check valves, may result in the recreation of advantageous hydrological conditions. In such a case storage volume of oxbow lakes would be increased and ground water would be maintained at a higher level over longer periods of time. This study presents a concept for protection of the Uroczysko Warta, thanks to the construction of appropriate engineering infrastructure.