Ever lower flows the Vistula

The Vistula is currently at its lowest levels since records began back in the 18th Century. Scatts has picked up the topic at Polandian, referring to the historical artefacts that have surfaced as water levels recede. Today, rather than going into town to snap to our dwindling river, I visited the Vistula downstream at Obory, a favourite spot, and one I've blogged several times before.

Below: Many's the time I've parked my bike here - and always, directly at the bottom of the riverbank was water. Now, it's at least 50m to the water. (Compare to this photo, looking south rather than north, taken in June 2008 from roughly the same spot.)

Below: I clamber down the embankment, and walk over the dry sand to the end of the promontory formed by a sandbank rising out of the river. The last time I was here was when the river froze over earlier this year.



Below: standing at the water's edge. There's a noticeable improvement in water quality when I compare the Vistula from even four years ago. Raw sewage is no longer being pumped into the river in vast quantities. Here, EU money, in the form of structural and cohesion funds, is working its magic as more and more local authorities upstream have built water treatment plants.



Below: the Jeziorka river flows into the Vistula, from the left. Compare to this view from February. On the Vistula's right bank in the far distance - a similar picture - receding water levels, more exposed sandbanks.



This time last year:
Hip, trendy Ząbkowska

This time three years ago:
Catching that Klimat

This time five years ago:
Road-trip into the Sublime