Vistula River Delta-Plain—A Region of Fluvial, Coastal, and Land Reclamation Impact on Landscape Development

Vistula River delta-plain, which includes the Żuławy area and the western part of Vistula Sandy BarrierBarrier, represents a unique, relatively flat landscape, shaped by fluvialFluvial, coastal, and anthropogenic interactions. The decay of the last ice sheetIce sheet and the development of the Baltic SeaBaltic Sea triggered the evolution of the Vistula River mouth that lasted for over 15 thousand years. In the past 700 years, human activity intensely transformed the natural character of the region. Characteristic landforms that distinctly contribute to the landscape include river channels with associated alluvial forms and artificial dykesDyke, anthropogenic constructions like terps or fortifications, the relict Druzno lake, and sandy barriersBarrier insulating low-lying region from the Baltic Sea. The region is likely to evolve in the near future due to relentless human impactHuman impact and ongoing climate change that put the Vistula River delta-plain in danger of coastal floodingFlood, flooding.