Changes in the landscape of Luciąża valley and the surrounding areas after creating a storage reservoir in Cieszanowice

Abstract

The article presents landscape transformations which occurred in the Luciąża valley and the surrounding areas as a result of creating a storage reservoir in Cieszanowice. On the basis of depth measurements, a bathymetric map of the reservoir was prepared, on which locations of limited accessibility due to the presence of nympheids and reed and rush communities were marked. The map also shows the locations of tree trunks and branches of uncut bushes in the depths of the reservoir, which pose a real threat to water sports equipment. The article addresses the divergences between the planned functions of the Cieszanowice reservoir and its actual usage after twenty years of existence. Transformations of land cover which occurred along with the disappearance of agricultural functions and the growth of tourist settlement combined with intensive recreational use were illustrated in land use maps.