Lenka Tlapáková

Subsurface drainage systems are very important type of meliorative measures in the Czech Republic. Nevertheless, their functions are perceived differently in the Czech society. We can distinguish point of view of landowner, farmer, water manager or environmentalist. With regard to the climatic changes or new praxis of agricultural, there must be assessed changed conditions in relation to existing drainage systems. It has connection with the next strategy of their funding and management. Therein, in the Czech Republic, farmer has dominating position, instead of the state or landowner that would be probably more correct. The paper presents results of user demands survey, conditions of drainage systems, their services and defects. New technologies, mainly remote sensing, and their use for identification and survey of drainage systems are presented too. Land drainage measures changed the whole landscape in the Czech Republic (agricultural intensification, loss of natural habitats and natural water flows etc.). In context of hydrological extremes′ rising and drainage systems′ ageing, existence of drainage systems must be solved. It means their maintainance for purpose of agricultural production, or, on the contrary, their elimination with the view of nature habitats′ recovery. Both solutions must differ in accordance with the different landscape characteristics of the Czech Republic.

This paper demonstrates advantages of remote sensing (RS) technologies and methods for mapping subsurface drainage systems (DS) in the landscape. It describes a method of DS identification that is based on acquisition of multispectral data from several sources at various times in order to determine the relevant conditions and criteria for visualization of DS features in these images. Analysis of RS data is used to create thematic geodatabases and map layers of the DS, locations of their damage, or local soil waterlogging, providing up-to-date and precise digital records of the condition and location of DS in land parcels. This information is presented as map outputs for seven test localities in the Czech Republic with areas of 10–80 km². Sample maps are processed in greater detail and at a larger scale to better illustrate the features.

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, the scientific journal of the Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic

This study searched for associations between the extent of hydromelioration systems and the land use (in the past and at present), degree of nature conservation, and infiltration of water through soil profile in the Protected Landscape Area (PLA) Železné hory. According to the available evidence, 34.6% of arable land and 32.1% of permanent grasslands in this area are drained by the drainage systems. Analysis of the original design documentations of drainage structures indicate, that the extent of drained areas can actually be even higher. The hydromelioration systems were built namely in the second half of the 20^th century. The drainage also affected alluvial meadows, wetlands, and ecologically valuable stations. After establishment of PLA Železné hory in 1991, the protected area was divided into four zones according to their significance and protection regime. This study has revealed the presence of areas drained by systematic drainage systems (101 ha of grasslands) even in the zones of highest landscape protection degree (1^st and 2^nd protection zones). The inadequately executed drainage systems should be eliminated and the character of the land should be brought closer to its natural conditions. On the model part of the PLA we also performed a study of historical changes in the landscape in three time horizons (1839, 1950, 2014) to show differences in land use before building of drainage, at the time of building, and at present.

The present paper contains the evaluation of rural landscape development in model territories by means of landscape structure analysis. Based on the computed values of landscape ecology indexes, development and typical and specific features of analysed territories are interpreted in defined time horizons. The territories differ in the intensity of their use, natural conditions and different social requirements. Two territories have intensive agriculture in different natural conditions, the third model territory is situated in the protective zone of a water resource, and the fourth model territory is a protected area. For all localities, the studied baseline period was that of the Stable Cadastre mapping (1825–1839), followed by the sixties of the 20^th century and the present time. The method of processing and evaluation of four model territories is described and a detailed analysis and interpretation of one territory – Hubenov region is presented. Agricultural land formed the landscape matrix in Hubenov territory in the past and at present. There is a significant reduction in the number of plots of the landscape classes and the increase in the average size of agricultural and non-agricultural plots between year 1825 and 2009. Spatial distribution of agricultural land has changed. Area of arable land decreased after the construction of water reservoir Hubenov. The area of permanent grassland, forests and water bodies increased. It was reflected in an increase of ecological stability. In the context of the change of landscape structures decreased the length of ecotone edges of the categories arable land and PGL and categories arable land and forest.