The increasing number of visitors and conflicts resulting from shared use in valorising sensitive wetlands make effective visitor and site management measures essential. In the course of this research, the landscape pattern, the current spatial distribution of tourist activities and the possible arrangement of expedient further development were examined. The study area, Lake Tisza, is an artificial lowland reservoir established in the 1970s with an area of 127 km² in Hungary. Among its original functions, in addition to flood control, nature conservation and recreation have become the main profiles. The diverse hydro-ecological features and mosaic landscape structure allow for nature conservation and utilisation in tourism. This differentiated use is in line with the worldwide trend of favouring locations with multiple leisure activities in close proximity to each other. Based on the CORINE Land Cover (CLC) 2018 database, 12 different land use categories were identified in the study area. The largest proportion is represented by water bodies (53.29%), while inland marshes and broad-leaved forests cover 22.25% and 16.64%, respectively. The heterogeneity of the area is considerably enhanced by the high patch sizes of the categories pastures, broad-leaved forests and inland marshes. According to the Shannon diversity index, the most complex landscape diversity can be found in the Tiszavalk (1.5) and Poroszló (1.4) basins, considered to be the most suitable for ecotourism, while the lower values of the Sarud (1.1) and Abadszalók (1.1) basins provide suitable conditions for water sport activities and recreational tourism. Continuous adaptation to social needs and the joint protection of natural values is crucial for the sustainable development of Lake Tisza.

River regulation and embankment construction have fundamentally altered the hydrological relationships and sediment accumulation dynamics of floodplains worldwide. This study examines the accumulation conditions in the Upper Tisza (Hungary) floodplain, focusing on the different surface development conditions of oxbow lakes and fossil natural levees following human intervention. During the study, we integrated high resolution LIDAR terrain models with detailed sedimentological analyses (grain size composition, pH, EC, OC, CaCO₃). We used multivariate statistical methods (principal component and cluster analysis) to separate soil formation processes and sediment accumulation. Based on our results, we identified sharp sedimentological boundaries indicating artificial meander cutting (1852). We demonstrated that the cut meanders function as sediment traps, where the accumulation of fine grained sediments is significantly faster (>0.34 cm/year) than on the higher elevation natural levees (0.1 cm/year). Statistical analysis identified five distinct sedimentation environments, successfully separating recent soil levels from river sediments. These results provide an important basis for the complex management of floodplains, such as flood protection, water retention, and habitat management planning.

Floodplain oxbow lakes and natural levees preserve sedimentary archives that can provide information on long-term changes in depositional environments. This study investigates three oxbow lake–natural levee pairs of different ages along the Upper Tisza River using 258 sediment records. Grain size composition, pH, electrical conductivity, CaCO₃-equivalent values, and organic carbon were characterized. Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine relationships among the measured properties, while principal component analysis (PCA) was performed using pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, and isometric log-ratio-transformed grain-size data. The profiles showed pronounced vertical and between-site heterogeneity, indicating that geomorphological position alone does not determine sediment properties. PCA identified four major sedimentological and geochemical gradients, whereas cluster analysis distinguished four broad sediment groups with distinct sedimentological and geochemical characteristics. These multivariate statistical analyses revealed relative vertical zonation and sedimentological and geochemical changes associated with oxbow-lake infilling and natural-levee development. Long-term mean sediment accumulation rates were estimated separately from the multivariate analyses using sediment thickness, documented channel-cutoff ages, and, where applicable, stratigraphic correlations. Time-averaged post-cutoff oxbow-lake sediment accumulation rates were approximately 10.2 cm yr⁻¹ for GYM1, 4.56 cm yr⁻¹ for GYM2, and ≤4.62 cm yr⁻¹ for GYM3. For the natural levees, no accumulation rate was estimated for GYF1 because of the absence of an independent chronological marker, whereas tentative correlation of buried paleosol horizons in GYF2 and GYF3 with dated paleosols on the Bereg Plain suggests conditional long-term mean accretion rates of approximately 0.042–0.090 cm yr⁻¹ for GYF2 and 0.032–0.069 cm yr⁻¹ for GYF3, respectively. Integrating vertical sedimentological and geochemical records with multivariate statistical analyses and independent chronological and stratigraphic constraints therefore provides a framework for reconstructing relative depositional succession and estimating long-term sediment accumulation during floodplain evolution.

Lake Tisza is a lowland reservoir with an area of 127 km2 in the middle of the Carpathian Basin established in the 1970s. Among its original functions, in addition to flood control, it was expected to irrigate a larger agricultural area and increase water freight transport. Today, buffering of extreme water conditions, nature conservation and recreation have become the main profiles. The diverse hydroecological features and mosaic landscape structure of the lake allow for versatile nature conservation and utilization in tourism. This differentiated use is in line with the worldwide trend of favouring locations with multiple leisure activities in close proximity to each other. Lake Tisza offers fishing, swimming, sailing, canoeing, nature observation boating and cycling opportunities, but due to its status as a Ramsar bird conservation site, it is also a valuable destination for ornithologists. In the course of our research, we examined the current spatial pattern of these activities and the possible arrangement of expedient further development.

Angling tourism is becoming increasingly important at Central Europe’s largest lowland reservoir, Lake Tisza. The lake, created in the 1970s, covers 127 km² and has been increasingly used for recreational and nature conservation purposes recently. This study seeks to identify anglers’ site selection preferences at Lake Tisza, considering hydrological and ecological aspects, in support of sustainable site management. In order to achieve this, an in-person questionnaire survey was carried out covering the whole area during springtime 2024. During the survey period, a total of 224 anglers provided answers about their preferred location and recreational characteristics. Data processing was carried out using SPSS 26 and ESRI ArcGIS version 10.4.1. Based on the created catchment area map, it was found that a significant proportion (74%) of anglers arrive from within a 50 km radius, but the lake also has appeal outside the country. A total of 53.1% of respondents visit the lake several times per month, typically for fishing purposes. In addition, cycling, walking and picnicking are popular recreational activities among anglers. The respondents considering different landscapes (pictures showed by the interviewers) for angling prefer shaded areas with vegetation and a narrow view of the wide expanse of water (62%). The results of the open-ended questions indicate that site selection is primarily based on the existence of a shadow (49.5%), and suitability for fishing is only the second aspect (40.6%). Our study also highlighted the international trend that anglers are more interested in leisure activities in a green environment. In addition, the results have practical significance for more successful recreation planning and sustainable site management.