Reconstruction and modernization of existing and construction of new reservoirs and ponds in rural areas of Poland

The Polish governmental agreement on water retention in small scale infrastructures was signed in 1995 to improve the structure of the water balance of small catchments by 2015. The regional authorities (voivodships) had to elaborate the programme of small retention development which was accomplished in 1996 for most of the regions. The planned increase in the volume of retention waters was based mainly on small water bodies (ponds), which was predicted to get the retention of the order of 860 million m3 (4789 reservoirs). However, by 2007, the achieved capacity of reservoirs was 9% of planned. The main reason was low financial inputs but also complex formal procedures before realisation of an object due to legal restrictions associated mainly with environmental protection.