Farmers on the verge of crisis. Drought affects most provinces in Poland

Poland has been struggling with a serious drought problem for another year, which has particularly affected farmers in 13 provinces. This year’s drought has caused significant losses in crops, and forecasts indicate a drop in yields by as much as 20 percent. The most difficult situation is in areas such as the Mazovian Lowland, the Podlasie Lowland and Polesie. This phenomenon, which is a consequence of ongoing climate change, is becoming increasingly frequent in Poland. Increasingly higher temperatures and changing rainfall patterns are causing an increase in the number of drought periods, which is a growing challenge for agriculture.

Poland is characterized by relatively small water resources, which additionally deepens the problem of drought. Compared to other European countries, such as Norway, our water resources are much smaller. Hydrologists indicate that Poland is one of the European Union countries with the lowest amount of drinking water per capita. On average, in Europe there is about 5 thousand cubic meters of water per person per year, while in Poland it is only 1.6 thousand cubic meters, and during droughts this number drops to even 1.1 thousand, which means exceeding the threshold of the so-called water stress.

Why does Poland have water problems?

Experts emphasize that in addition to limited surface water resources, the problem is insufficient retention, or the ability to store water in the environment. Although water resources in Poland may improve slightly in wetter years, long-term forecasts are worrying. This is due not only to the smaller amount of precipitation, but also to its uneven distribution. Intense storms and torrential rains are becoming more frequent, contributing to local floods, but they do not help to replenish groundwater resources, because water from such precipitation quickly drains away.

In the coming years, the climate in Poland will become increasingly unpredictable. There will be longer periods of drought, interrupted by heavy rains, which at the same time means increasing problems with water resources. Experts predict that Poland will be forced to implement more effective retention methods to prevent further deterioration of the situation.

Drought in Poland occurs in several different forms. First, there is atmospheric drought, which is a lack of precipitation for a longer period, which leads to soil drought, when high temperatures and evaporation cause water loss from the soil. Then comes agricultural drought, when there is a lack of water for plants and crops begin to die. The next stage is hydrological drought, when water levels in rivers fall, which affects surface water resources, including rivers, lakes and wetlands. The final and most dangerous type of drought is hydrogeological drought, which causes a drop in groundwater levels, which poses a threat to drinking water supplies.

Currently, almost all types of droughts are occurring in Poland. Fields are drying up, small rivers are stopping flowing, and the level of underground water is decreasing, which threatens access to water in many regions of the country. Farmers in 13 provinces are feeling the negative effects of water shortages, which results in significant losses in crops.

Ways to improve the water situation

Experts point out that one of the simplest ways to improve the water situation in Poland is to retain and save water. Storing water during periods of heavy rainfall could help prevent the effects of drought. However, building large retention reservoirs is not always an effective solution, because high temperatures promote evaporation, which can lead to the loss of significant amounts of water.

A better solution is to allow water to percolate freely into the soil and feed natural water bodies, such as wetlands. Water that penetrates deeper layers of the earth is purified and is one of the best sources of drinking water. Therefore, a long-term solution could be to improve natural water retention in the landscape.

In Poland, there are about 100 large, artificial water reservoirs that collect a total of about 4 billion cubic meters of water, which is only 6.5 percent of the average annual river runoff. For comparison, in Spain, where the problem of drought also occurs, retention is as high as 45 percent. Currently, Poland plans to increase the retention level to 15 percent, which would correspond to 8.4 billion cubic meters of water.

The future of water resources in Poland

Although Poland is not facing serious and long-term water shortages in the near future, periodic droughts are becoming more common. Climatologists predict that the situation could worsen in the future, which means Poland needs to act now. Implementing effective water-saving strategies and improving natural water retention capacities is key, which will help mitigate the effects of both droughts and heavy rainfall.