The method based on original metric called Hydromorphological Index for Rivers (HIR) was developed in 2017 for the purpose of the monitoring of the hydromorphological status of flowing waters in Poland. It fulfils the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). It allows the assessment of both lowland rivers as well as mid-altitude and highland streams. The proposed system can be used to assess the natural and heavily modified rivers as well as artificial channels. The basis of the proposed system is a field survey, which is supplemented by the analysis of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data and remote sensing materials. The analysis of the GIS data and remote sensing materials already enable to estimate preliminary classification of the hydromorphological status of the non-surveyed water bodies. On the basis of the field survey, the principal HIR value can be estimated for the considered river site and comparing with the reference conditions, the hydromorphological quality status in the five-class system can be calculated. The properly selected, representative survey sites (one or more depending on the heterogeneity of the environment), enable the classification and evaluation of entire surface water bodies in the framework of the national environmental monitoring. The GIS component of the HIR proved to be useful in verifying the determination of heavily modified water bodies and in assessing the needs of river restoration. It was also applied in the development of the National river restoration program for predicting the impact of the proposed restoration measure on the state of hydromorphology.

Abstract. current and future climate conditions and their impact on water balance, ecosystems, air quality and bioand agro-climatology were investigated in the region of the lusatian neisse within the two eu-projects -neyMO and klaPS. This work focuses on the climate analysis of the region at the german-Polish border as a preliminary step for a hydrological analysis of current and future conditions.Observed climatological data were processed and analysed using the indicators air temperature, precipitation, sunshine duration, potential evapotranspiration and the climatic water balance (cWB). the latter defines the difference between precipitation and potential evapotranspiration and is a measure for the climatological water availability in the region. Observations were used to statistically downscale data from global circulation Models under various scenarios regarding greenhouse gas emissions (a1B, rcP 2.6, rcP 8.5) and applying the weTTreg-method for regionalization. in total, 50 climate projections for periods up until the end of the 21 st century were analysed, with the application of the mentioned indicators.For the period 1971-2010, increasing trends of temperature, precipitation, sunshine duration and potential evapotranspiration were found. This leads to a reduced cwB in the summer half-year (Shy), which could be partly compensated by an increase in the winter half-year (why). Trends of temperature, sunshine duration and potential evapotranspiration remain positive for the far future (2071-2100), but precipitation decreases. These climatic conditions aggravate water availability, especially in the Shy. impacts on water management are very probable and were therefore further investigated in the neyMO project that applied hydrological models.

Water resources are one of the most important issues affected by climate change. Climate scenarios show that in the upcoming decades, further climate change can occur. It concerns especially air temperature and sunshine duration, whose prognosis indicates a significant rising trend till the end of the century. The goal of the paper was the evaluation of water resources and hydropower production in the future, depending on climate scenarios with a consideration of risk analysis. The analysis was carried out on the basis of observation data for the Lusatian Neisse river basin (Poland) for 1971–2015 and climate projections till 2100 for the RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 (representative concentration pathways) scenarios. The results of the research showed that, especially in terms of RCP8.5, very high risk of decrease in water resources and hydropower production is expected in the future. Therefore, recommendations for mitigation of the possible effects are presented.

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The article presented methods of urban development in terms of the application of the ‘sponge city’ concept, as well as the possibility of introducing different hydro-engineering solutions into the urban fabric that allow infiltration and retention at various scales of spatial planning. The aim of the paper was to indicate which specific solutions can be used in the city in multi-dimensional and multi-functional systems. As a result of the research, the concept of a ‘5-scales’ diffusion of blue–green infrastructure elements was presented. Elements of this system are based on multi-scale blue–green infrastructure, creating a patchwork of ‘blue connections’ that fit into the city ‘green’ natural system and have a connection with urban rainwater drainage. These five elements together allow for the infiltration and retention of rainwater, and can be used in the design of ecologically sustainable water-oriented cities in the future.