Spotlight |


Water engineering in Poland


Jan Winter, Agnieszka Dabska and Bartosz Bednarz present a brief historical outline of the development of hydraulic engineering in Poland, and discuss the most interesting monuments in the country, with a focus on waterways, dams and reservoirs built for flood protection and economic purposes, including energy generation


Below: Figure 1. The location of hydraulic structures in Poland


WATER ENGINEERING, WHICH MAINLY includes different kinds of water retaining structures, is one of the first and fundamental engineering activities of humankind. Ancient civilizations are identified with constructing reservoirs designed for collecting water, mainly for agricultural irrigation. Dam construction represents one of the most crucial engineering achievements. The ability to generate electricity and transmit it to where it was needed became a significant aim in dam development. Hydroelectric power plants use two essential elements of dam structures, the gradient and the water flow. Hydroelectric turbines, which convert the energy of flowing water into mechanical energy, are one of the most efficient


devices to generate environmentally friendly and renewable electricity. Dams constructed at reservoirs are responsible for


water supply and power generation, as well as flood protection and inland navigation. However, over time, they have taken on other functions such as recreation, water sports and landscape enhancement. Today, the majority of dams and reservoirs are multifunctional structures requiring professional management as their various functions are often contradictory. Despite Poland’s rich history as a central European country, its foray into dam and hydroelectric power plant construction came relatively late. Poland’s oldest dam in continuous operation is the Mylof earth dam


10 | July 2023 | www.waterpowermagazine.com


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