Siltation of Small Water Reservoir under Climate Change: A Case Study from Forested Mountain Landscape of Western Carpathians, Slovakia

The effectiveness of small reservoirs in a mountain landscape continuously decreases over time due to the gradual siltation. We examined two hypotheses about enhanced siltation rate and constant relative contribution unpaved roads water reservoir period 1990–2014, with pronounced climate change, compared reference 1970–1989. Analysis was based on deposit volumes extracted from 1989 detected at bottom 2014. geographical information systems, image analysis universal soil loss equation were applied model erosion according sources—catchment area roads—to study processes depth. Despite expectations, rates almost unchanged periods. positive changes vegetation cover (the forest expansion management practices) offset enlarged rain erosivity. On other hand, road increased by 41% 1990 became twice as much contributor sediments intensity 13 29 times greater than areas. Therefore, proper maintenance networks could rapidly decrease Moreover, we recommend continuous forestry critical measure for central Europe’s forested regions prevent growing pressures.