Possibilities of Balancing of Anthropogenic Changes of Relief and Water Conditions in The Tatra Mountains

During its entire utilisation history – lasting several hundred years – the area of the Tatra Mountains underwent multidirectional anthropopressure. As the result, all components of their natural environment have been transformed, including relief and water conditions.The analysis of the literature on this topic conducted by the author, as well as his observations performed in the area, confirmed the assumption that transformations caused by human actions developed with varying intensity and admitted various forms depending on the area of action and the magnitude of means applied.

The transformation scale presented here estimates the influence of anthropopressure on the stability of the catchment area systems of larger Tatra streams, partial catchment areas of their confluents and selected slope surfaces.

In systems, where the limits of persistence were not exceeded, stability was ensured by natural processes compensating for the consequences of anthropopressure. In systems where stability was disturbed, planned preventive measures are necessary.