Fourth Study Conference on BALTEX Scala Cinema Gudhjem

- 180 -
The Drought of the Year 2003 in the Area of the Odra River Catchment
Alfred Dubicki
Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, Branch of Wroclaw, 30 Parkowa str. 51-616, Wrocław,
Alfred.Dubicki@imgw.pl
Among many other disadvantageous weather events in
Poland within several of the last years, droughts become
more and more frequent. A most recent severe drought
occurred in 2003. Shortage of precipitation with
substantial impact on the amount of rive discharge was
noted as early as in November and December 2002.
Months with particularly scarce precipitation in 2003 (5
to 68 % below normal) were the following ones:
February, March, April, June, August and September.
Parallel to the deficit of precipitation, air temperatures
were extremely low in winter and extremely high in
summer. The 2003 summer temperatures were among the
highest compared to the 115 years long observational
data record of 1881-1995.
According to the Polish standards of estimation, the dry
months in 2003 mentioned above are characterized as
very dry and extremely dry. The shortage of precipitation
resulted in a lowering of the underground water table,
which exceeded 2 meters in some locations. This fact had
a substantial impact on the agricultural economy in vast
country areas. The period length of long lasting lowest
water table ranged from 20 to 150 days (with an average
of 50-60 days). The lowland and piedmont areas were
subject to the most intensive process of drainage. The
regular discharge deficit on the Odra River catchment
was within the range of 154,991 km 3 to 401,991 km 3 . In
the biggest tributaries, the Nysa Klodzka and the Bobr,
the discharge deficit ranged between 0,398 km 3 to 10,031
km 3 , and 1,030 km 3 to 29,177 km 3 , respectively.
Comparing the above low waters to the lowest water
table in the period 1966-2002, it was realized that on
most of the rivers and areas it was the deepest low water
mark with the biggest deficit of discharge and the longest
time (31 days) of persistence.
The pattern of the biggest deficit in the year 2003
compared with the map of local communes, reflect a
problem of estimating it not only on a base of the river
catchments but also as an economic problem for local
authorities.