Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, February 2018, Vol. 13, No. 1, p. 5 – 13; DOI:10.

26471/cjees/2018/013/001

PARTICULAR EXAMPLE OF MEROMIXIS IN THE ANTHROPOGENIC

RESERVOIR

Jacek KUBIAK1, Sylwia MACHULA1 & Adam CHOIŃSKI2

1
West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin Department of Hydrochemistry and Aquatic Biological
Resources Kazimierza Królewicza 4, 71-550 Szczecin, Poland, e-mail: [email protected];
[email protected], phone: +48 91 449 66 95; +48 91 449 66 98
2
Institute of Physical Geography and Environmental Planning, Adam Mickiewicz University
Dzięgielowa 27, 61-680 Poznań, -mail: [email protected], phone: +48 (0)61 829 6260

Abstract: The thermal regime of the Czarnogłowy, a post-mining lake studied in 2008-2010, showed the
reservoir to be meromictic. Throughout the year, the water column of the lake was divided into two layers
(the mixolimnion extending down to 20 m depth and the monimolimnion) separated by a distinct, thin
(about 2.0 m thick) chemocline. The chemical composition of the mixolimnion water was highly variable,
the highest concentrations being shown by Ca, Na, Cl, SO4, and HCO3 ions. The same ions were also
dominant in the monimolimnion, but their concentrations there were much higher and much less variable.
The Czarnogłowy meromixis was found to be crenogenic. The lake received an inflow of groundwater
from springs in the reservoir and the elevated mineralisation may have resulted from the inflow of
groundwater seeping through the sedimentary limestone in the catchment. However, due to the limited
data, these findings need further investigation.

Key words: lake, meromixis, crenogenic meromixis, water thermal regime

1. INTRODUCTION that are chemically stratified and show incomplete

circulation; he termed the stagnant layer as
Post-mining reservoirs are used for recreation, monimolimnion. The mixed layer was called the
tourism, and water retention; they may affect the local mixolimnion by Hutchinson (1937), the intermediate
climate. The number of such reservoirs has been layer constituting the chemocline. The typology of
observed to increase (Krüger et al., 2002). They form meromictic layer proposed by Hutchinson (1937) was
a new category of man-made water bodies which play based on the causes underlying the meromictic
an important role in the structure and functioning of structure of the water column. The first list of
anthropogenically altered landscapes. Chemical meromictic lakes, published by Yoshimura (1937),
conditions in these reservoirs are shaped primarily by comprised 44 reservoirs, mainly in Japan and Europe.
the catchment lithology and by waters that feed them Extending Hutchinson’s concept, Walker & Likens
(Galas, 2003). On account of steeply sloping bottoms (1975) divided meromixis into exogenic (driven by
of such basins, their considerable depth, and the extraneous forces) and endogenic (produced by factors
mineral-rich groundwater influx, post-mining intrinsic in a lake). The list compiled by Walker &
reservoirs tend to be meromictic (Lyons et al., 1994; Likens (1975) contained 121 meromictic reservoirs
Rücker et al., 1999, Castro & Moore, 2000). worldwide. In North America, Anderson et al., (1985)
Meromixis in post-mining reservoirs has been identified approximately 100 lakes which already are,
described by numerous authors who showed this type or are likely to be, meromictic. Intensive studies of
of mixing, as well as the ensuing stratification, to be meromictic reservoirs have been conducted in
enhanced by certain characteristics of those water Scandinavia, particularly in Norway (Hakala, 2004),
bodies (Boehrer & Schultze, 2006). who proposed a classification of meromictic lakes
The number of water bodies regarded as based on the major factor producing the meromictic
meromictic has been growing steadily. Findenegg structure of the water column. He distinguished
(1937) was the first to define meromictic lakes as those between four types of meromixis: (1) driven by an

5
inflow of saline water to a fresh water body (or by an Mining activities continued until the mine was
influx of fresh water into a saltwater reservoir); (2) inundated in 1945. In 1947, mining was resumed and
produced by a spatially significant input of nutrients; continued until 1968, when the drainage pumps were
(3) originating as a result of upwelling of saline shut down, the mine was flooded, and a post-mine
groundwater; (4) due to incomplete mixing of a lake reservoir emerged.
resulting from its morphology. The Czarnogłowy lake occupies 35.7 ha; its
The typology of natural meromictic lakes is maximum and relative depths are 28.8 m and 4.27%,
applied also to post-mining reservoirs, described in respectively, the long axis of the lake trending NW-
many publications. Such areas have properties SE. The maximum length and width of the reservoir
enhancing meromixis; in particular, they frequently are 1150 and 330 m, respectively, the shoreline being
show incursions of saline groundwater (Boehrer & 2850 m long. In the southern part of the lake, the
Schultze, 2006). The emergence of meromictic bottom drops almost vertically. The Czarnogłowy
structure in post-mining reservoirs is doubtless bathymetry is shown in figure 1. South of the lake
influenced, although to a lesser extent than in natural (54°46’08 N; 15°55’20 E), there is another former
lakes, by their particular morphometry: generally, open pit mine, now flooded, smaller than the
they are relatively deep and have small surface areas Czarnogłowy. This trough-like reservoir covers 7 ha;
(Donachie et al., 1999). its shoreline is 2400 m long, the maximum length and
In Poland, only a few lakes have been referred maximum width being 1050 and 120 m, respectively.
to as meromictic; these are: Zapadłe (Teodorowicz et Its western part is shaped like an elongated (500 m
al., 2003, Tandyrak et al., 2010), Czarne (Kraska et long) embayment 10-30 m wide; the remaining part is
al., 2006), Rzeźnik (Zachwieja, 1970), Klasztorne 100-120 m wide. These parameters determine the
Małe (Januszkiewicz, 1969), Wądołek (Czeczuga, possibility of meromixis. The maximum depth of the
1966), Starodworskie (Tandyrak et al., 2009), lake is 28.8 m (Fig.1).
Zakrzówek (Galas, 2003), and Gliniok (Molenda, The immediate catchment area of the
2011, 2013). This study was aimed at characterising Czarnogłowy lake is forested. Although the water
Lake Czarnogłowy, a post-mining meromictic budget of the lake has not been put together, the lake
reservoir, and at identifying the causes of meromixis. is known to be periodically fed by a tributary in the
In this paper, an analysis of the water east (Fig. 1). When the mine was in operation, the pit
conductance, total dissolved salts (TDS) contents, and featured three springs. Their water was pumped into
concentrations of major macroions was also carried the nearby Wołczenica, a river 52.1 km long, which
out. For methodology see the analysis the seasonal drains 421 km2 and has a mean flow rate of 0.21 m3 s-1
changes of the temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen (Friedrich, 1989).
in the Cuejdel Lake, the largest natural barrage water On account of the non-typical origins of the
body in Romania and the most recent natural dam Czarnogłowy lake and its unique geological setup and
lake in Europe, carried out by Mihu-Pintilie & amenity qualities, the lake belongs to the most
Stoleriu, (2014). interesting water bodies in the north-west of Poland.
The reservoir owes its popularity to the very clean
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS water and the diversity of its underwater landscapes:
the bottom features remains of a flooded forest, some
2.1. Area of study of the trees still protruding above the water surface.
Data on the Czarnogłowy thermal regime, salinity, and
The Czarnogłowy lake (53°45’24” N; 14°55’26” concentrations of basic macroions, collected during
E; 24 m a.s.l.), located in the Szczecin Lowland, two annual surveys, make it possible to analyse details
emerged as a result of inundation of a marlstone pit of mixing processes in the lake and to identify the
mine. Carboniferous rocks, a major feature of the causes of the water column structure observed.
geological setup of the area around the present-day
reservoir, are amenable to commercial mining. The 2.2. Methods
Upper Jurassic deposits occurring in the area are a part
of a tectonic unit known as the Czarnogłowy anticline. The Czarnogłowy was studied in 2008-2011.
It forms the north-western section of the Pomeranian Water temperature, salinity, and conductance of the
anticlinorium, an area geologically unique on the scale water column were measured, at 1 m intervals, along a
of the entire European Lowland, with outcrops of vertical profile extending to the deepest spot of the
sedimentary rocks (marl and limestone) (Mikołajski, lake; the measurements were taken with a portable HI
1966). Limestone deposits had been mined in the area 9828 multiparameter water quality meter (Hanna
since 1759, the 1941 output exceeding 600,000 tons. Instruments).

6
 Figure 1. Geographical position and bathymetry of the Czarnogłowy Reservoir

In 2009 and 2010, water samples were collected conditions lasting until the last week of December
for ion chromatography (carried out with the help of (Fig. 2).
the Dionex 3000 device) assays of the following
macroions: SO4-2, Cl-, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+.
Alkalinity and carbonate content were determined by
titration with 0.1 N HCl. The data were processed with
the Statistica v. 9.0 software (StatSoft, Inc., 2009).

3. RESULTS

The Czarnogłowy water column showed a

characteristic thermal stratification involving two
layers. The upper layer, extending down to 19-20 m,
showed a thermal cycle typical of holomictic lakes.
Deeper in the water column (below 21-22 m), the
temperature varied within a small range: 4.0-6.2, 4.0-
6.4, 4.9-6.9, and 5.0-6.6°C in winter, spring, summer,
and autumn, respectively. The temperature was Figure 2. Thermal regime of the Czarnogłowy Reservoir
usually observed to increase with depth to 25 m water
(particularly in the spring-summer period) and to
remain stable from this level down to the bottom (Fig. The spring homothermy extended down to 20
2). The steepest temperature gradient, observed at 21- m; the water temperature ranged from 4.1 to 4.3°C, the
22 m, amounted to 0.72, 0.64, 0.51, and 0.43°C m-1 in temperature gradient being slight only. The summer
winter, spring, summer, and autumn, respectively. conditions were characterised by heterothermy
On the other hand, the upper layer showed a developing in mid-August. The highest temperatures,
short winter stagnation (January and the first decade with the maximum at 19.7°C, prevailed in the near-
of February), spring mixing occurring until the third surface water from mid-July until the end of August
week of May. The summer conditions prevailed until (Fig. 3). The thermocline showed a sharp decrease
the end of the first week of October, autumn (mean gradient of -2.5°C m-1), the maximum gradient (-

7
5.8°C m-1) occurring at the depth of 6.0 m. Below the The autumn homothermy (at 5.0°C) was
thermocline, the water temperature in summer ranged observed in the mixolimnion of the Czarnogłowy lake
from 7.8°C in the upper part of the sub-thermocline at the end of the first decade of December (Fig. 3). In
layer to 4.9°C in its lower part (Figs. 2, 3). winter, the Czarnogłowy water column showed a
typical inverse thermal stratification extending down
to the depth of 20 m. The water temperature changed
from 0.9-1.9°C at the surface to 3.0-3.3°C at the depth
of 3 m; below that depth, the temperature gradually
increased to 4°C at 20 m (Figs 2, 3).
The data on water conductance, total dissolved
salts (TDS) contents, and concentrations of major
macroions obtained confirmed the two-layer structure
of the water column. The mixolimnion was, in all
seasons, much less mineralised than the remaining
part of the water column (Tables 1-4; Figs 4, 5),
mineralisation indicators showing considerably
smaller gradients. The maximum TDS content and
conductance were 302.0 mg dm-3 and 604.0 µS cm-1,
respectively (Table 3). The monimolimnion was set
off by a distinct chemocline that started at 20-21 m
where the TDS and conductance gradients averaged
115.9 mg dm-3 m-1 (maximum TDS of 920.0 mg) and
Figure 3. Temperature vs. salinity in the Czarnogłowy
230.1 µS cm-1 m-1 (maximum conductance of 1709
Reservoir water in summer and during the winter µS cm-1), respectively (Tables 1-4; Figs 3, 4).
stagnation

Figure 4. Average temperature (oC), conductance (µS/cm), salinity (TDS – mg/dm3), and their gradients in the
Czarnogłowy Reservoir mixolimnion and monimolimnion in different seasons

8
Figure 5. Changes with depth of the values of the studied indicators of water mineralization in Czarnogłowy Reservoir

Table 1. Temperature (°C) of the Czarnogłowy Reservoir water

Temperature (°C)
season Layer Indicator Range of maximum
N Mean Median Minimum Maximum
frequency
Value 61 5.4 4.3 4.0 9.5 4.0-5.0 (63.9%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 61 -0.10 -0.03 -1.24 0.24 (-0.1) - 0.0; (56.3%)
Spring
Value 29 5.60 5.80 4.10 6.40 5.5 - 6.5 (66.7%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 26 0.25 0.16 0.00 0.64 0.1 - 0.2 (36.7%)
Value 9 18.4 18.9 15.8 19.7 18.5 - 19.5 (55.5%)
Epilimnion
Gradient 9 -0.14 -0.02 -0.99 -0.01 (-0.2) - 0.0 (88.8%)
Value 13 13.9 14.8 7.8 19.5 10.0 -16.0 (54.0%)
Metalimnion
Gradient 13 -2.54 -2.27 -5.76 -1.10 (-2.0) - (-3.0) (40.0%)
Value 67 5.5 5.3 4.6 7.3 4.5 - 5.5 (35.8%)
Summer Hypolimnion
Gradient 64 -0.01 0.00 -0.94 0.97 (-0.2) - 0.0 (33.3%)
Value 61 9.0 5.4 4.6 19.7 4.0 - 6.0 (58.7%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 61 -0.65 -0.09 -5.76 0.09 (-1.0) - 0.0 (63.5%)
Value 28 6.0 6.2 4.6 6.7 6.2 - 6.4 (40.0%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 25 0.20 0.18 -0.59 0.72 0.0 - 0.2 (56.5%)
Value 64 6.6 5.0 4.9 10.7 4.0 - 6.0 (67.7%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 64 -0.06 0.00 -2.47 0.12 (-0.5) - (0.0) (66.2%)
Autum
Value 26 6.00 6.20 5.10 6.70 6.0 - 6.6 (48.0%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 23 0.20 0.21 0.01 0.43 0.2 - 0.3 (40.9%)
Value 59 3.3 3.5 0.9 4.2 3.0 - 4.0 (80.0%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 59 0.15 0.06 -0.21 1.35 0.0 - 0.2 (62.7%)
Winter
Value 27 5.7 6.1 4.1 6.2 6.0 - 6.5 (63.0%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 24 0.22 0.10 -0.18 0.72 (-0.2) - 0.0 (50.0%)
Value 210 6.3 5.0 0.9 19.7 4.0 - 6.0 (67.7%)
Mixolimnion
Entire Gradient 210 -0.22 0.00 -5.76 1.35 (-0.5) - (0.0) (66.2%)
year Value 87 6.0 6.1 4.1 6.7 6.0 - 6.6 (48.0%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 77 0.20 0.18 -0.59 0.72 0.2 - 0.3 (40.9%)

9
 Table 2. Conductivity (µS/cm) of the Czarnogłowy Reservoir water

Conductivity (µS/cm)
season Layer Indicator Range of maximum
N Mean Median Minimum Maximum
frequency
Value 61 557.6 554.0 540.0 603.0 540 - 560 (52.3%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 61 13.00 1.00 -1.50 92.00 0-20 (67.2%)
Spring
Value 29 2541.0 3043.0 571.0 3272.0 3000-3500 (57.6%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 26 290.4 46.7 -5.8 1371.0 0-200 (46.7%)
Value 9 542.4 545.5 536.0 554.0 535. -540 (55.5%)
Epilimnion
Gradient 9 0.44 1.00 2.00 2.00 0.5 - 1.0 (44.4%)
Value 13 533.1 552.0 539.0 557.0 550 - 560 (46.2%)
Metalimnion
Gradient 13 3.92 2.00 0.00 21.00 0 - 5 (76.9%)
Value 67 1457.8 567.0 553.0 3200.2 500 - 1000 (62.7%)
Summer Hypolimnion
Gradient 64 120.7 2.0 -576.0 2317.0 0 - 250 (37.6%)
Value 61 558.2 560.0 536.0 599.0 550 - 570 (76.1%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 61 4.27 1.00 -5.00 159.00 0 - 100 (60.2%)
Value 28 2703.3 30.84.0 566.0 3200.2 3000 - 3500 (65.4%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 25 300.6 37.0 -576.0 1317.0 0 - 250 (48.7%)
Value 64 555.8 552.5 522.0 604.0 540 580 (55.4%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 64 6.47 1.00 -3.00 106.00 0 - 20 (68.8%)
Autum
Value 26 2691.0 3024.6 631.0 3269.0 3000 - 3500 (54.2%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 23 318.1 33.0 -679.0 1709.0 0 - 500 (57.1%)
Value 59 524.4 546.0 450.0 571.0 540 - 560 (86.4%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 59 21.90 0.00 -3.00 328.00 (-10) - (0) (69.6%)
Winter
Value 27 2743.9 3098.0 899.0 3128.0 3000 - 3500 (66.7%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 24 276.8 9.6 -26.0 1358.0 0 - 200 (45.5%)
Value 210 556.8 554.0 450.0 604.0 550 - 600 (58.1%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 210 6.00 1.00 -5.00 159.00 0 - 50 (59.3%)
Entire
year Value 87 2811.8 3091.0 566.0 3272.0 3000 - 3500 (54.2%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 77 230.1 1.6 -679.0 1709.0 0 - 500 (57.1%)

The hydrocarbonate content in the concentrations being much less variable than those
mixolimnion averaged 3.5 mval dm-3; the average in the overlying layer (Tables 1-4; Fig. 5). The TDS
contents of sulphates, chlorides, sodium, and content and conductance average 1400.1 mg dm-3
calcium were 42.2, 39.6, 23.4, and 81.1 mg dm-3, and 2811.8 µS cm-1, respectively. Hydrocarbonates,
respectively (Table 4). Relatively large positive chlorides, and sulphates were still the dominant
values of kurtosis obtained for Cl (11.4), Na (15.7), anions; the dominant cations – sodium and calcium
Mg (12.0) and Ca (13.7) prove that in these cases – occur at concentrations much higher than in the
most observations are concentrated close to the overlying layer. Chloride and calcium ions occurred
mean and their variations are small (Table 4). This at concentrations averaging 691.8 and 216.7 mg dm-3,
proves that the mixolimnion waters are not respectively, hydrocarbonate concentrations
influenced by factors that may affect the averaging 8.2 mval dm-3 (Table 4).
concentration of these ions, as for example dilution The steepest gradients of temperature and
by the surface water inflow and precipitation or chemical indicators were recorded at the depth of
mixing with the bottom waters of the 20-21 m where conductance and TDS changed, on
monimolimnion. However, it has to be noted that average, by 1476.0 µS cm-1 and 11450 mg dm-3,
due to the limited data availability some of the respectively. Below this layer, the gradients were
analysed populations are small, thus the obtained substantially less steep. Thus, the chemocline is very
results need further investigation. sharp and occur basically within a 2-m thick layer.
The monimolimnion, i.e., the layer below 21
m, was distinctly mineralised, the macro-ion

10
 Table 3. Total dissolved salts (TDS) (mg/dm3) contents of the Czarnogłowy Reservoir water
Total dissolved salts (mg/dm3)
season Layer Indicator Range of maximum
N Mean Median Minimum Maximum
frequency
Value 61 278.7 277.0 255.2 302.0 270-285 (68.7%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 61 1.57 1.00 -1.00 45.00 0 - 0.2 (53.3%)
Spring
Value 29 1233.8 1523.1 286.0 1636.0 1400-1700 (49.4%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 26 146.9 64.0 -10.0 686.0 0 - 100 (43.3%)
Value 9 271.2 273.0 268.0 277.0 268 -270 (44.4%)
Epilimnion
Gradient 9 0.11 0.00 -1.00 1.00 (-0.5) - 0.0 (66.7%)
Value 13 276.5 276.0 269.0 283.0 272 - 280 (69.2%)
Metalimnion
Gradient 13 2.0 1.0 0.0 11.0 0 - 2 (76.9%)
Value 67 728.7 284.0 277.0 1602.0 300 - 400 (48.1%)
Summer Hypolimnion
Gradient 64 59.1 1.0 -288.0 1158.0 0-100 (36.6%)
Value 61 279.1 280.0 268.0 300.0 275 - 285 (76.8%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 61 2.15 0.00 -2.00 79.00 (-2.0) - 2.0 (90%)
Value 28 1351.0 154.1 283.0 1602.0 1400-1600 (76.9%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 25 143.8 13.0 -288.0 920.0 0-200 (58.3%)
Value 64 277.9 276.0 261.0 302.0 280 - 295 (42.1%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 64 3.25 1.00 -1.00 53.00 0 - 10 (57.8)
Autumn
Value 26 1349.6 1512.4 316.0 1667.0 1400 - 1600 (50.0%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 23 159.6 22.3 -339.0 855.0 0 - 200 (47.6%)
Value 59 271.2 273.0 225.0 286.0 270 - 280 (86.4%)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 59 10.9 0.0 -2.0 163.0 (-5.0) - 0.0 (75.0%)
Winter
Value 27 1371.1 1549.0 449.0 1564.0 1400 - 1600 (77.8%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 24 138.5 3.1 -14.0 679.0 0 - 200 (50.0%)
Value 210 278.4 277.0 225.0 302.0 260 - 280 (57.1)
Mixolimnion
Gradient 210 6.6 1.0 -2.0 163.0 0 - 20 (49.3%)
Entire
year Value 87 1400.1 1548.0 283.0 1667.0 1400 - 1600 (50.0%)
Monimolimnion
Gradient 77 115.9 8.0 -339.0 920.0 0 - 200 (47.6%)

Table 4. Mineralisation indicators (mg/dm3) of the Czarnogłowy water in 2009-2010; selected statistics
Coefficient
Standard
Layer Indicator N Mean Median Minimum Maximum of varia- Skewness Kurtosis
deviation
tion
HCO3-1 72 3.5 3.4 2.8 5.0 0.5 13.8 0.8 0.2
2-
SO4 72 42.2 40.0 20.7 89.5 13.0 30.7 1.2 2.1
Mixolimnion

Cl- 72 39.6 28.4 22.1 199.4 31.0 78.1 3.2 11.4

Na 16 23.4 14.5 9.0 156.2 35.6 152.3 3.9 15.7
Mg 16 11.3 10.2 8.5 26.3 4.3 37.8 3.3 12.0
K 16 2.2 1.4 1.1 5.2 1.5 65.4 1.2 -0.3
Ca 16 81.1 73.4 66.1 180.2 27.3 33.6 3.6 13.7
HCO3-1 17 8.2 8.7 5.5 11.7 0.64 7.8 0.3 1.2
SO42-
Monimolimnion

17 224.1 189.0 134.5 388.2 17.0 7.6 0.8 -0.8

Cl- 17 691.8 704.1 466.4 1100.3 99.6 14.4 0.8 0.6
Na 4 279.1 279.9 259.9 296.7 16.1 5.8 -0.2 -1.7
Mg 4 43.0 43.1 40.4 45.4 2.1 4.9 -0.2 -0.8
K 4 3.1 3.1 2.8 3.3 0.2 7.9 -0.1 -3.4
Ca 4 216.7 216.8 197.1 236.1 16.7 7.7 0.0 -1.0

11
 4. DISCUSSION Moreover, on account of the lake being fed by
highly mineralised groundwater, the meromixis in
The thermal regime of the Czarnogłowy water the Czarnogłowy can be regarded as crenogenic
column was unequivocally typical of meromixis, as (Hutchinson, 1937). The meromixis occurring as a
it was described by Findenegg (1937), Hutchinson result of human activity is also known as
(1937), Kalff (2002) and Wetzel (2001). There were anthropogenic meromixis (Kalff, 2002). A similar
three characteristic layers: the stagnant system was observed in the former lignite mine in
monimolimnion, the well-mixed mixolimnion, and Merseburg (Germany) with saline groundwater
the chemocline with sharp gradients of temperature entering the reservoir at a large depth, the inflow
and mineralisation indicators. The mixolimnion and being facilitated by the drainage of the mining pit
monimolimnion differ in TSD by an average of over effected when the mine was operational (Schreck,
1000 mg dm-3 (Figs 1, 2), a TDS increase by 10 mg 1998).
dm-3 causing a density increase identical to that Considering the location of the Czarnogłowy
brought about by a temperature reduction from 5 to relative to the sea and the origins of the reservoir,
4°C (Lampert & Sommer, 2007). Thus, even if the neither seawater seepage nor salt release due to
surface layer cools significantly, the water column organic matter decomposition seem to be plausible
would not be fully mixed. mechanisms responsible for salt accumulation in the
The cause of meromixis in the Czarnogłowy monimolimnion.
was revealed during the analysis of mineralisation of
the reservoir’s water column. The disused pit mine REFERENCES
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Received at: 18. 03. 2014

Revised at: 07. 05. 2017
Accepted for publication at: 24. 05. 2017
Published online at: 06. 06. 2017

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