Middle Warta River Valley

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Middle Warta River Valley


Factsheet: Warta Middle River Valley

General
Country PL
River Name Warta
Site Name Warta Middle River Valley
River Characterisation
    River typology
    Location (Lat Lon) 52.19303, 17.89746
    Altitude lowland: < 200 m
    Catchment area very large: > 10000 km2
    Geology Calcareous
    National code/
    River type name
    21 Large lowland river

    Biological quality elements
    Ecosystem Services
    EU Directives
    Pressures
    Measures
    Other
    Project size 420 ha
    Approximate costs 100 000 - 1 000 000 Euros
    Synergy recreation, agriculture, increase biodiversity, water management
    Status Realised
    Period of realization 2008
    Evaluation Hydromorphological and ecological changes
    Implemented by General Directorate of National Roads and Motorways


    Key features of the case study

    This restoration project was implemented as compensation to loss of ecologically important part of Middle Warta River Valley (Natura2000 site) due to construction of the A2 motorway. Compensation activities aimed for restoration of habitats partly devastated by the earlier hydrotechnical works in the valley of the Warta and in turn to create condition for restoring old ornithological values in this area.

    Site description

    Particular conditions of the site: size, river type, type of pressures, ecological status, etc.:

    The investigated site is located on the Warta river (type 21 – Large lowland river) in its middle course between town of Zagórów and Ląd village. It stretches along ca. 6km of the river and covers area of approximately 420ha. It is a part of large (57104,4 ha) Important Bird Area – Middle Warta River Valley and belongs to Natura2000 network. This IBA is characterized as large site encompassing a wide river valley and being an important breeding site for many species of waterbirds (including ducks, waders and terns) and forest birds (e.g. Middle Spotted Woodpecker) in the country. Since the 70ties of XX century this part of the valley was suffering from deterioration caused by influence of up-stream located reservoir Jeziorsko and by increase of embankments constructing. These factors caused negative changes in water conditions leading to abandonment of agricultural use of land (extensive hay making), secondary succession and in turn disappearing of habitats suitable for birds of the area. Water conditions changes went to both, drying of land in some parts due to too low flow as result Jeziorsko reservoir work regime and cutting off parts of the valley by embankments, and prolonged water stagnation behind the embankments in some parts. The Zagórów – Ląd stretch was one of the most environmentally valuable and at the same time the least deteriorated areas. Therefore, it constituted potentially the area with the largest chance for successful restoration and that’s why it was selected as compensation area for the restoration project. The main pressures in this area can be summarized as: altered hydrological regime due to work regime of Jeziorsko reservoir; construction of long embankments cutting off lateral connectivity between river and its floodplain; construction and malfunctioning of reclamation systems in the valley; changes in land use in the valley.

    Measures selection

    Motivation/argumentation behind the selection of the measures implemented:

    A set of measures aiming for improving lateral connectivity between the main river channel and floodplains was implemented. It should have been leading to reconnect backwaters and wetlands and to create more similar to natural pattern of inundating the river floodplain to improve habitats proper for the desired in the area bird species. In this set following measures were proposed: culverts in the embankments along the river and in embankments of roads located in the floodplain; restoration (by removing sediment and vegetation) of ditches and backwaters in the floodplain; restoration of connection between the main channel and oxbows and backwaters.

    Success criteria

    Plant communities:

    • Presence of species rare from point of view of conservation values

    Avifauna:

    • Reconstruction of sites important for breeding, migration and overwintering of birds
    • Presence and number of species pairs

    Ecological response

    Hydromorphological response

    Monitoring before and after implementation of the project

    Socio-economic aspects

    Contact person within the organization

    Extra background information

    References


    Related Measures

    Related Pressures