VTEI / Current Issue

Current Issue

Historical changes in water use in Czech third-order catchments and indications of potential trends based on new regional climate models by the CHMI

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The article presents the results of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI) obtained when addressing the sub-objectives “Scenarios of future water needs for different climate scenarios and individual sectors of water use” (DC 1.1) and “Identification of areas with deficient water resources” (DC 1.2), which are part of TA CR project No. SS02030027 “Water systems and water management in the Czech Republic in conditions of climate change (Water Centre)” and constitute specific tasks within the work package WP1 focusing on the future of water. The aim of the CHMI was to calculate and analyse how river flows upstream of gauging stations in Czechia are influenced by water use and to determine how this influence may change in relation to climate change.

Measurement and modelling of changes in the runoff regime following calamitous decay and regeneration of forest stands in small catchments in the Jeseníky Mountains

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The article presents partial results of monitoring and modelling in the experimental forest catchments of Suchý, Sokolí, and Slučí streams, the right-handed tributaries of the Černá Opava in the Jeseníky PLA. These results have been generated since 2022 thanks to the NAZV project No. QK22010189 “The impact of deforestation on the water regime of small river basins” with the working title DEFOREST, which also evokes the main goal of the project; to try to capture changes in the dynamics of stands (decay, controlled and spontaneous succession, etc.) and in the runoff regime of these river basins with regard to bark beetle outbreak and the subsequent damage clearing. In all these experimental river basins, monitoring of selected hydrological regime elements (e.g. precipitation on the open area, under-canopy precipitation, volumetric soil moisture, snow gauge sensors) was established, including stationary measurement of water levels in the closing profiles of all three sub-river basins. For modelling of stand changes and hydrological response to these changes, forest stand models (including the self-developed DEFOREST application) and hydrological models HEC-HMS, SIMWE, MIKE SHE and SWAT were used. The extreme flood in September 2024 largely destroyed the water gauging stations and remodelled the watercourse beds, so in 2025 the project team will focus on restoring monitoring.

The pond system on the Bečvárka river

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The article presents the pond landscape development in the Bečvárka river basin based on the interpretation of archival and current maps, including verification of the current state of pond locations. Eleven ponds with a total area of 65.28 ha were recorded on the map of the 2nd Military Mapping. Sixteen ponds with a total area of 76.64 ha were recorded on the current map. The current ponds’ total area is approximately 11 ha larger than the area of the historical ponds. This is despite the fact that almost all individual historical ponds had an area larger than at present. One of the main reasons for this is the later construction of two large ponds in the area. From a comparison of the maps, it is clear that the reduction in the areas of individual historical ponds at present is mainly caused by the overgrowth of the littoral zone.

Assessment of the hydromorphological status of river water bodies in the Czech Republic using HYMOS methodology

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Assessment of the hydromorphological status and its elements (hydrological regime, continuity, morphological conditions) is part of the monitoring of the ecological status of water bodies. Hydromorphology, as a supporting component of biological assessment, has a significant impact on living organisms in aquatic ecosystems. Based on the Ministry’s request, a new methodology for assessing the hydromorphological status of water bodies category rivers (HYMOS) was developed within the TA CR project. This methodology takes into account new requirements and current knowledge in the field of hydromorphology, while also minimizing the drawbacks of previous methodologies, particularly regarding time and cost efficiency in the assessment process.

Jáchymov: following the mills

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An article discussing the West Bohemian spa town of Jáchymov and its surroundings, where there is a nature trail called the Valley of Mills, leading through the valley of the Jáchymov stream to the town of Ostrov nad Ohří, where there is a castle with an admirable castle garden.