A reminiscence of prof. dr hab. inż. arch. Hanka Zaniewska, an outstanding scholar and lecturer on architecture and urban design.

The aim of the study was to analyse the state of flood-prone areas development in 10 towns on the Warta River in the Wielkopolska region in terms of the possibility of adapting existing and planned buildings to flood risks. A significant percentage of the areas exposed to floods was the basic criterion for selecting three towns for the second stage of the research. The analysis of the content of 22 local spatial development plans (LSDP) in three selected towns has revealed that the plans for special flood hazard areas (SFH) and embanked areas lack precise requirements for flood adaptation. The research proved that small riverside towns in Wielkopolska region insufficiently use planning tools to create appealing and resilient waterfronts and reduce their vulnerability. New buildings not adapted to changing water levels are still being built in the flood-prone areas, because LSPD plans do not impose such requirements. The authors proposed the graphical analysis method (based on overlay maps), which allows to indicate the areas requiring special flood-adaptation guidelines. The building and site recommendations in LSDP should refer to BFE level and may include various types of amphibious architecture and their location conditions, which has been identified in the study.

The scope of water management is to meet water demand by supplying water to the population and to the national economy; to provide water to the users in such sectors as agriculture, energy, navigation, tourism and recreation, as well as the environment; and to warrant water safety (including protection against floods and droughts). Health and well-being of the Polish population depends on the quality of the environment, therein access to water in adequate quantity and quality. The country struggles with management of low water resources whose quality is still inadequate. The present paper, co-authored by numerous Polish experts, leaders in research and in practice, presents a critical view on the water management in Poland. Among the specific topical areas covered by this paper are: water needs, policies and legislation, as well as governance. The authors specify recommendations for a range of necessary, and urgent, actions to be taken by decision makers and politicians, who are responsible for formulation of appropriate principles and their implementation. Development of adequate legal framework at various spatial levels (EU, national, regional, local, as well as at the river basin scale) is of essential importance for warranting people’s well-being. It is necessary to establish control aimed at keeping the subtle balance between the governance, legal acts, and adequate financing.