The Sandomierz Basin

Located in a great tectonic sinkhole, the Carpathian Fore deep. The terrain is mostly flat and slightly creased, with elevations of several or over a dozen meters in height. There are podsol soils originating from sand dunes, podsol soils of water origin, fertile fen soils and black earth of loess origin, and rare swamp and bog soils. In the northern parts, formerly covered with the vast Sandomierz Forest, there are large woods and nature reserves. On sand soils, pinewoods are the most common, although there are some leafy and mixed forests, where the dominating trees are pines, firs, spruces, larches, beeches, oaks, hornbeams and birch–trees. On swamps and riverside terraces, riparian forests with poplars and willows grow. The undergrowth consists mainly of ferns, blackberry, other kinds of berries, and many mushroom species. Among the local peculiarities is the natural honeysuckle azalea (Rhododendron luteum) reserve in Wola Zarzycka and bull nut (Trapa natans) instances, found around Tarnobrzeg. As far as the climate goes, the Kotlina Sandomierska’s main characteristics are hot summers, warm winters, and relatively small yearly rainfall. Average annual temperature is +8ºC; average summer daily temperature reaches +18ºC, and in winter –3ºC. Average annual precipitation – the lowest in the Podkarpackie Province – ranges from 565 mm to 700 mm. There are 40–55 cold days a year. Ice–sheet duration is 70 days. There are westerly winds.