Commune: Józefów (pow. biłgorajski, woj. lubelskie) , Susiec (pow. tomaszowski, woj. lubelskie)
Framework element or context represented:
Relief of the river valleys.
Primary geological/geomorphological interest:
Rapid steeps in river valleys within the active tectonic zone.
Comparative assessment justification:
Exceptional forms of river erosion connected with neotectonic movements.
Protection status and accessibility:
Waterfalls are located within the nature reserves established in 1958: Szum (16.96 ha), Czartowe Pole (63.71 ha) and Nad Tanwią (41.33 ha). These areas very tourist accessible are situated in the Puszcza Solecka Landscape Park (ca 29 000 ha).
Character of site: Forms of the river erosion.
Area: 122 ha
Altitude: 130-150 m a.s.l.
Lithology: sandstones, other siliceous rocks, limestones, marls, sands, loesses
Discipline: Geomorphology, Stratigraphy of Phanerozoic, Tectonics
Process Age: Quaternary, *all periods
Bedrock Age: Neogene, Cretaceous, *all periods
Description of primary interest:
The Roztocze is a ridge composed with many hills as uplifted blocks conditioned by the dislocations or tectonic grabens. It runs from NW to SE across the Polish-Ukrainian territories and spreads between the Lublin-Lviv Upland and the Fore-Carpathian Depression. Main geological formations are marls, opokas and gaizes of the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian, Maastrichtian) as well as Miocene (Badenian, Sarmatian) sands (i.e. rhodolith sands), sandstones, marls, limestones (i.e. reef limestones and microbial limestones). Mesozoic deposits are covered by loess. Particular elements of the relief reflect faults connected with the development of the Carpathian Trough during the Miocene and have been caused emerging of Roztocze as a horst. Several dislocations are active up till now and contemporary vertical movements reach 0,5-2 mm/year. Rapid steeps in gap valleys of Szum, Sopot, Jeleń and Tanew rivers flowing to SW, represent most typical elements of the Roztocze relief. These valleys cut the escarpment zone of Roztocze at a depth of 10-20 m and erosion terraces developed since the Late Glaciation up till the present day. Rapid steeps as low waterfalls are formed within Upper Cretaceous resistant rocks. Only in the Sopot river valley they occur in Miocene limestones, too. About 30 waterfalls are situated at edges of the still active faults, running parallel to the southern margin of the Lublin Upland. The group of them consisting of small rocky steps not exceeding 1.2 m occurs on the Jeleń river. The occurrence of waterfalls indicates the recent activity of the fault system in the marginal part of the Lublin Upland.
Literature:
AREŃ B. 1962–The Miocene of the Lublin Roztocze Range between the Sanna and the Tanew Rivers (English sum.). Prace Inst. Geol. 30, 3: 5-77. BRZEZIŃSKA-WÓJCIK T. 1993–Quaternary tectonic activity in the Tanew River Basin in Roztocze (English sum.). Ann. Univ. M. Curie-Skłodowskiej, B, 48: 25-43. BUDOWA GEOLOGICZNA ROZTOCZA 1998 (Polish only). Zakład Nauk. Pol. Tow. 69. Lublin, 265 pp. BURACZYŃSKI J. 1980/81–Development of valleys in the escarpment zone of the Roztocze. Ann. Univ M. Curie-Skłodowskiej, B 35/36: 81-102. BURACZYŃSKI J. 1997–Geology, relief and landscape of Roztocze Upland (English sum.). Univ. M. Curie-Skłodowskiej, Lublin, 189 pp. HARASIMIUK M. 1980–Rzeźba strukturalna Wyżyny Lubelskiej i Roztocza (Polish only). Univ. M. Curie-Skłodowskiej, Lublin, 136 pp. KOZŁOWSKI S. 1961–Current problems of nature conservation in Roztocze in the light of research on its geology and natural resources. Protection of Nature - Ann. 27: 253-272. MARUSZCZAK H., WILGAT T. 1955–Le relief de la zone lisière du Roztocze Central (French sum.). Ann. Univ. M. Curie-Skłodowskiej, B, 10: 1-107. MUSIAŁ T. 1986–Miocene of Roztocze (south-eastern Poland) (English sum.). Biul. Geol. 31: 5-149. WALASZCZYK J., CIEŚLIŃSKI S., SYLWESTRZAK H. 1999–Selected geosites of Cretaceous deposits in Central and Eastern Poland. Polish Geol. Institute. Special Papers 2: 71-76. WYSOCKA A. 2002–Clastic Badenian deposits and sedimentary environments of the Roztocze Hills across the Polish-Ukrainian border. Acta Geologica Polonica 4: 535-561.