ADMS

The Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation - State Research Institute in accordance with an Act from the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development has developed the climatic water balance for all Polish municipalities (3,064 municipalities), and based on the soils categories have identified in those municipalities the current agricultural drought risk for the following crops: winter and spring cereals, corn for grain and silage, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, tobacco, field vegetables, shrubs and fruit trees, strawberries and legumes.

In the tenth reporting period, i.e. from July 1 to August 31, 2013, IUNG-PIB states a risk of agricultural drought in Poland.

Drought occurs for crops:

• legumes

• potato,

• shrubs,

• hops

• tobacco

• maize for silage

• vegetables,

• sugar beet,

• fruit trees,

The largest area of drought risk is considered for legumes cultivation. The drought covers 26.6% of the arable Polish land, gathered in 1,993 local districts 65% of country local districts). Drought for legumes occurs in 15 Voivodeships:

The threat of drought for potato is at 21.2% Polish arable land concentrated in 1,447 local districts (47.2% of the local district of the country). Drought for potato occurs in 12 voivodeships:

The threat of drought for shrubs is 21.2% Polish arable land concentrated in 1,447 local districts (47.2% of the country’s local districts). Drought of shrubs found in 12 voivodeships:

The threat of drought for hops is 3.1% Polish arable land concentrated in 337 local districts (11% of the country’s local districts). Drought of shrubs found in six voivodeships:

The threat of drought for tobacco is 1.9% Polish arable land concentrated in 192 local districts (6.3% of the country’s local districts). Drought of shrubs found in four voivodeships:

The threat of drought for maize for silage is 1.4% Polish arable land concentrated in 190 local districts (6.2% of the country’s local districts). Drought of shrubs found in five voivodeships:

The threat of drought for vegetable is 1.3% Polish arable land concentrated in 192 local districts (6.3% of the country’s local districts). Drought of shrubs found in four voivodeships:

The threat of drought for sugar beet is 0.6% Polish arable land concentrated in 72 local districts (2.3% of the country’s local districts). Drought of shrubs found in three voivodeships:

The threat of drought for fruit trees is 0.5% Polish arable land concentrated in 72 local districts (2.3% of the country’s local districts). Drought of shrubs found in three voivodeships:

Currently, agricultural drought occurs in 15 voivodeship: dolnośląskim, kujawsko-pomorskim, lubelskim, lubuskim, łódzkim, małopolskim, mazowieckim, opolskim, podkarpackim, podlaskim, śląskim, świętokrzyskim, warmińsko-mazurskim, wielkopolskim, zachodniopomorskim

In the current sixty-day period, only in the Pomorskie voivodeship between the analysed crops there is no danger to reduce yields by 20% at the local district level because of the drought.

The values of climatic water balance (CWB), which are the basis used to assess the risk of drought in most Polish areas, are negative.

CWB values, relative to the situation of the prior ten days have decreased by an average of 42 mm. Still, a large part of Poland (except for the mountains and the north of the country) has a shortage of water, which has caused a reduction in certain areas of the country by 20% of yield due to drought occurrence.

During the sixty-day period, a substantial area of the country has reported a large increase in the value of CWB, in some areas this increase was as much as 90 mm (Poznań, Legnica), resulting in a smaller water deficit in those parts of Poland.

The lowest values of CWB from -220 to -229 mm occurred as in the previous sixty-day period, in the Iłżeckie Foothills. A slightly smaller deficit of water (-200 to -219 mm) was recorded in the Radom and Kozienicka, Pilica Valley, Sandomierz Upland, Gieleniowskim Garb, Szydłowskie foothills and Połaniecka Basin. Large water shortages have also been reported in other areas of south-eastern Poland, ranging from -170 to -199 mm.

The relatively large area of northern and north-eastern Poland: embankment and eastern and south Bałtyckie Lake districts (in the eastern regions), the CWB ranged from -80 to -119 mm.

July this year was warm. The highest air temperature was recorded in south-western Poland, from 19.5 to 20.5°C, in the north-east direction the temperature was dropping and in the lower parts of the country, the Suwalki Lake District was 17.5-18°C. The Śląska and the Wielkopolska Lowland air temperature was higher than the long-term average (1971-2000) by more than 2°C, in central Poland it was higher by 1-2°C and in north-eastern and north of the country was close to the long-term average.

The area with the highest air temperature in August was the Sandomierz Basin; highlands: the Silesian-Krakow and Malopolska; Plains: Wielkopolska and Mazowiecka (southern areas), the temperature ranged from 19 to 19.5°C. In most parts of the country air temperature ranged from 18 to 19°C. The north-eastern area of Poland was the coldest region of the country, and the average air temperature ranged from 17 to 17.5°C.

Relative to the previous sixty-day period, there were no changes in potential evapotranspiration. The average evapotranspiration for the country was 245 mm and was lower by only 1 mm with respect to the previous sixty-day period. The highest evapotranspiration occurred in the Highlands of Lublin and the Malopolska; the Lowlands: Śląska, Mazowiecka, Wielkopolska and Lubuskie Lake District, and ranged from 250 to 270 mm. However, the lowest evapotranspiration (200-220 mm) was found in the northern parts of the country.

Poland in terms of precipitation in July was also very diverse with the lowest rainfall occurring in Mazowsze, which ranged from 20 to 30 mm, and in a belt between Kielce and Mława were even lower than 20 mm. The area reported rainfall was well below the norm (about 20% of normal). However, the highest rainfall was recorded in the Mazurskie Lake District and the Zachodniosudeckim foothills and was about 100 mm. The precipitation norms were exceeded on the Gdansk Embankment, by up to 200%. This year July in terms of precipitation in Poland in most of the country was dry, and in some places even extremely dry.

In August, the lowest rainfall from a few to 20 mm was recorded in south-eastern Poland. In addition, low values of precipitation were recorded in the north-western parts of the country from 30 to 40 mm. In the most of the territory, the precipitation ranged from 50 to 70 mm. The highest rainfall ranging from 90 to 100 mm was recorded in the northern parts of Poland (Seashore Koszalin).

In the previous sixty-day period, the area with the greatest water deficit was in the regions of Mazowsze and Podlasie, Lublin, Subcarpathian and eastern parts of the Malopolska Uplands. The area of water deficit in the country in the current sixty-day period has significantly increased. Very little precipitation in July and August, and high evapotranspiration has been coursed throughout the country (apart from Pomorskie), there was shortage of water resulting in reduced crop yields by 20% due to drought. The largest water shortage was in south-eastern Poland, a little smaller water deficit was recorded in the south-western and western territory.