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1

Watermills – a Forgotten River Valley Heritage – selected examples from the Silesian voivodeship, Poland

100%

Fajer M.

Environmental & Socio-economic Studies

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2014

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vol. 2

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issue 2

1-9

EN

This study is an attempt to describe the current condition of the watermills situated in the river valleys of the Silesian voivodeship. Changes in the number and distribution of mills from the late 18th century until the 20th century have been presented (as exemplified by the Liswarta River basin in the northern part of the voivodeship). Watermills have been discussed both as industrial monuments that document the history of the milling industry and as tourist attractions. Currently, working mills that serve the local population in rural areas are a rarity, and working watermills are unique sites that should be protected as industrial monuments that constitute an important part of our cultural heritage. They are among those industrial monuments that are particularly vulnerable to destruction. Such mills increasingly attract the interest of industrial tourism promoters. Activities aimed at promoting watermills as cultural heritage sites and leading to their protection and preservation as part of the river valley landscape have also been discussed. In the Silesian voivodeship, there are many watermills that deserve attention; some of these are listed in the register of monuments maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland. Unfortunately, most disused mills are falling into disrepair and are slowly disappearing; only a few have been preserved in good condition. Many of these have long histories and they are also situated in areas attractive for tourists. There is no doubt that watermills should be preserved. Their inclusion in open-air museums is not the only solution – any form of protection in situ by putting them to different uses is also valuable. Changing the function of a mill to serve as a hotel, restaurant, cultural centre, etc. makes it possible to maintain these sites as parts of river valley landscapes.

2

Antropogenicznie uwarunkowane przełomy Suminy i Wierzbnika jako przykład naturalizacji sztucznych koryt rzecznych (zlewnia Rudy)

100%

Fajer M.

Prace Geograficzne

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2018

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issue 153

7-24

EN

The article describes anthropogenic transformations of relief features associated with former economic use of rivers and the changes that occurred in individual sections of artificial canals as a result of their naturalisation. The study was carried out in two river valleys – of the Sumina and Wierzbnik Rivers, which are located in the Ruda River catchment (within the Odra River drainage basin), on the boundary of the Rybnik Plateau and the Racibórz Basin. The use of water in these rivers for the purposes of former grain mills, sawmills and other industrial facilities as well as fish ponds involved the construction of bypasses. The deep erosion gullies recorded in the relief of the Sumina and Wierzbnik River valleys are in fact transformed anthropogenic forms: artificial river channels and old bypasses. In the Wierzbnik River valley, these canals – today dead, but still visible in relief, reflect the technical solutions which were once used to protect ponds from damage during floods. The sections of old artificial canals such as the man-made channel of the Sumina River, are still subject to naturalisation processes, being were later transformed by natural fluvial processes. This is reflected in an increase in channel sinuosity and the development of meanders. It is proposed that the erosive forms described in the article be referred to as anthropogenically determined river gorges.

PL

W artykule przedstawiono antropogeniczne przekształcenia rzeźby terenu, związane z dawnym, gospodarczym wykorzystaniem rzek, oraz zmiany, jakie zaszły na odcinkach sztucznych kanałów wodnych w efekcie ich naturalizacji. Badania przeprowadzono w dwóch dolinach rzecznych – Suminy i Wierzbnika – położonych w zlewni Rudy (dorzecze Odry), na pograniczu Płaskowyżu Rybnickiego i Kotliny Raciborskiej. Wykorzystanie wód tych rzek dla potrzeb pracujących tam dawniej młynów zbożowych, tartaków i innych obiektów przemysłowych, a także stawów rybnych, wiązało się z budową kanałów powodziowych (ulgi). Zapisane w rzeźbie dolin Suminy i Wierzbnika głębokie rozcięcia erozyjne są przekształconymi formami antropogenicznymi – korytami zastępczymi i dawnymi kanałami ulgi. W dolinie Wierzbnika kanały te – dziś martwe, lecz nadal czytelne w rzeźbie terenu – są świadectwem rozwiązań technicznych stosowanych w celu ochrony stawów przed zniszczeniem podczas wezbrań powodziowych. Odcinki dawnych sztucznych kanałów – koryt zastępczych Suminy – przekształcane przez naturalne procesy fluwialne ulegają nadal naturalizacji. Odzwierciedleniem tego jest wzrost krętości koryta i rozwój meandrów. Zaproponowano, aby przedstawione w artykule formy erozyjne nazwać antropogenicznie uwarunkowanymi przełomami rzecznymi.

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Enigmatic glacigenic ridges from the Odra Glaciation in the vicinity of Krzepice (Woźniki-Wieluń Upland, Poland)

63%

Waga J. M., Fajer M.

Environmental & Socio-economic Studies

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2016

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vol. 4

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issue 3

33-40

EN

The central part of the Woźniki-Wieluń Upland is characterised by mature old glacial landforms associated with the Middle- Polish Glaciations. In some areas, however, more pronounced post-glacial landforms can be observed that were remodelled by later morphogenetic processes to a lesser extent. To the south-east of Krzepice, in the vicinity of Dolisko, there is an extensive depression in which twelve parallel ridges can be found. In terms of their morphology and location as well as due to their relationship to the surrounding landforms, the ridges examined resemble forms that would be referred to as drumlins, glaciotectonic forms or glacial curvilineations in late glacial areas. The material presented is the result of the initial research stage. The studies conducted in this stage involved primarily geomorphological mapping supplemented by an analysis of landforms on a shaded relief model and on an orthophotomap. At the current stage of studies on the glacigenic landforms in the vicinity of Dolisko, three scenarios concerning their origins have been put forward that need to be verified. The first scenario involves glaciotectonic origins, the second assumes that they were formed in the same manner as classic drumlins, fluted moraines or longitudinal squeeze ridges, and the third scenario assumes that they have the same origins as glacial curvilineations. The group of glacigenic ridges discussed is a glacial landform unique in southern Poland.

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Watermills – a Forgotten River Valley Heritage – selected examples from the Silesian voivodeship, Poland

Antropogenicznie uwarunkowane przełomy Suminy i Wierzbnika jako przykład naturalizacji sztucznych koryt rzecznych (zlewnia Rudy)

Enigmatic glacigenic ridges from the Odra Glaciation in the vicinity of Krzepice (Woźniki-Wieluń Upland, Poland)