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The aim of the study was to present the concepts of water reclamation and development of post-mining areas of the Adamów Lignite Mine following the termination of its excavating operation. Reclamation procedures will accelerate the process of restoring the devastated post-mining area to the natural environment and, above all, will contribute to the increase in local water resources. It was decided to create several water reservoirs with different surface areas and capacities within the final workings of opencasts. The reservoirs are used for water retention, recreation, melioration and flood control purposes, as well as for depositing overburden from other opencast workings. In total, the construction of 5 water reservoirs will include 4 weirs, 7 monks and 3 culverts with damming as well as a number of kilometres of inflow and outflow channels. The schedule of works and expenditures of the investment amounts to PLN 14.509.512 and is divided into 5 stages, not only covering the construction of the reservoirs, but also the water and drainage infrastructure necessary for their proper operation. All constructed and planned water reservoirs (Przykona, Janiszew, Koźmin, Głowy, Adamów, Koźmin Końcowy and Władysławów) will become new permanent elements of the landscape and the hydrographic network, coupled with the catchment system of the Warta River. They will allow for increase in the retention capacity of the Adamów Lignite Mine's area from previous 32,3 million m3 to 219.6 million m3 in the perspective of 2023. They will improve the microclimate of post-mining areas and have a positive impact on lands created as a result of reclamation. They will provide retention for irrigation of adjacent agricultural areas and help reduce economic and natural losses caused by flooding. They will open recreational opportunities for residents of surrounding areas characterised by water shortages. The post-mining reservoirs, formed during mining operations, perfectly fit into the Small Retention Program. The existing and planned water bodies are the best proof for the rightness of decisions taken in the field of reclamation for water purposes. Landscape shaping during the exploitation of lignite, as practice shows, is a great opportunity for the post-mining region to create reservoirs in places where they do not occur in nature.

Trends in groundwater level changes in small forest catchments located in Wielkopolska region were analysed on the basis on data collected for many years of groundwater levels observations. The observations were carried out from 2000 to 2010 hydrological year in Marianka Siemiańska and Laski forest district as well as in Puszcza Zielonka. The groundwater levels were measured in soil profiles located in different forest habitats: fresh, moist and swamp forest. Changes in groundwater level determined using the Mann-Kendall test were found to differ significantly between the catchment studied. Statistically insignificant decrease in groundwater levels was observed at all forest sites in the catchment area in Marianka Siemiańska forest district. In the catchment area of the Hutka watercourse the groundwater level showed a statistically significant decreasing tendency in Puszcza Zielonka in swamp and fresh mixed coniferous forest. It may indicate a decrease in water resources and implies the need of groundwater level monitoring. A statistically insignificant increase in groundwater level was observed in the wells in moist mixed broadleaved forest in the area of pond catchment in Laski forest district, this trend was interpreted as a result of the clearcutting made in this area.