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The aim of the study was to conduct a preliminary hydrological and hydrochemical investigation of spring waters near Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą. The monitoring covered nine descending springs located within the Pilica erosion scarp on the section from Łęgonice to Wola Pobiedzińska, where water flows out of Quaternary porous formations. Once a month, from November 2022 to October 2023, the discharge, temperature, conductivity, pH and nitrate concentrations were measured, while the chemical composition in terms of macroelements was determined in February and August. Additionally, the concentrations of selected microelements were measured in August. The obtained results indicated that the discharge of the identified outflows placed them in classes VI and VII according to Meinzer classification and was relatively stable over time. In terms of water mineralisation, the springs can be classified as freshwater and acratopegic, with the hydrochemical types being HCO3-Ca and HCO3-SO4-Ca. Significant differences in the physical characteristics and chemical composition of the spring waters were documented (visible in the concentrations of SO42-, Cl-, Na+ and K+), resulting from human impact and good isolation of water-bearing horizons. It was also found that the spring waters were heavily contaminated with nitrates, which reflects the intensive agricultural activity in the Rawska Upland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gully systems develop a compact network dissecting the loess cover of the NW part of the Lublin Upland. They are overgrown by dense and multi-storey forest assemblages. It is very difficult to apply teledetection techniques, GPS positioning, and geodesic tools, such as a laser rangefinder or total station, for monitoring of gully development. The detailed research, involving the comparison of traditional and modern methods, was conducted in a gully with a secondary erosional dissection, developing in the gully bottom with varied intensity for the last 15 years. In the period of comparative research (2012/2013), the rate of development of the erosional dissection was measured by means of traditional methods as well as a Leica HDS 7000 laser scanner. 3D laser scanning permitted precise terrain modelling and the assessment of qualitative and quantitative spatial changes. This paper compares the results of three measurement campaigns. The analysis showed intensive development of the dissection, manifested in an increase in its volume (37 %), retreat of the erosion scarp (32 m), deep erosion (19 %), and lateral erosion (27 %). Registered moderate snowmelt in 2013 caused the volume dissection to increase by 57 m, mainly as a result of the gully bottom scouring. During heavy rainfalls in June, the landforms were widened by a further 217 m and observed deepening and widening of erosive potholes. The prevalence of deep erosion resulted in the transformation back into a V-shaped cross section. A total of 37.3 Mg km of material was discharged from the gully catchment during snowmelt runoffs in 2013. A precipitation event in June 2013 caused the discharge of 856.9 Mg km of material from the catchment. The obtained results confirm that snowmelt erosion determines the spatial development of perennial gullies, but the volume of material discharged from the catchment depends on the occurrence of extreme precipitation during the warm season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]