EN
The water chemistry, granulometric composition and organic matter content of the sediments in 25 springs of the CracowCzęstochowa Uplands (Southern Poland) were studied. The springs (range of discharge: 0.01– 1440 l s⁻¹) were cool with almost constant temperature (7–10°C), and the content of calcium, SO₄ and oxygen saturation were also fairly constant throughout the year. Springs from the northern region differed in pH and discharge from springs from the southern region of the Uplands. Average nutrient contents were high (4.1 mg NH₄ dm⁻³, 7.5 mg NO₃ dm⁻³, 1.04 mg PO₄ dm⁻³) in those springs which are under the influence of human impact (i.e. local source pollution from farms and agriculture management). The sediments in the springs of the southern part of the Upland were mostly silt, containing 4% of organic matter (dry weight), while the sand fraction, with a low (0.9%) organic matter content dominated in substrates of the northern Upland springs.