Wetlands in River Valleys as an Effect of Fluvial Processes and Anthropopression - Wetlands and Water Framework Directive: Protection, Management and Climate Change - page 65

Chapter 5
Wetlands in River Valleys as an Effect
of Fluvial Processes and Anthropopression

Andrzej Stru ek, Wojciech Bartnik,

Artur Radecki-Pawlik, Karol Plesi

ż y ń ski, Leszek Ksi ąż

ń ski, Jacek Florek,

Maciej Wyr ę bek and Mateusz Struty ń ski

Abstract The aim of the article is to show how the fluvial processes in rivers and

their valleys can support wetland restoration activities. The exemplary objects were
localized in the Upper Vistula Basin (Poland) and dealt with riverbed stability,
channel capacity as well as revitalization of rivers with their valleys regarding
wetland restoration. All of the mentioned parameters depend on the intensity of
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fluvial processes in rivers, especially meandering, anastomozing or braided. Rivers
always tend to reach the state of hydrodynamical balance re

ecting the actual river
dynamics. The nature of channel transformation is quite complex. For example, the
curvature of natural river increases proportionally to the transported load alimenta-
tion and inversely to the slope of the river. The human-modi

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ed rivers also tend to
increase the curvature of their channels. Interestingly, all rivers create wetlands in the
areas naturally connected to the main channel. Those wetlands are regularly watered
by flood events. As a result, the areas with wetlands are a perfect natural environment

for fauna and

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flora. River channels which are situated close to such an environment
are also rich in fish and invertebrates. Wetlands in mountainous areas are rare or
unique unlike in lowlands where they are more likely to be found. The channel
incision reduce a possibility of wetland formation in the river valley, especially after
bank enforcement. The presented case studies are the effect of different projects
running by the Department of Water Engineering and Geotechnics, the University of
Agriculture in Krak

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bianka, Czarny
Dunajec. These rivers differ in many aspects; however, each of the them is located in
an area where wetlands or wetted areas are likely to appear. Among the described
rivers are lowland and mountain rivers. Some of them are managed according to the
European Water Framework Directive, i.e., in a close-to-nature manner.

ó w on the rivers and streams: Vistula, Nida, Por ę

Keywords River valley Wetland Morphological processes River channel

incision