The Site consists of a shallow and largely overgrown lake in the Vistula Delta region near the Baltic coast, with surrounding wetlands, reedbeds and swampy alder forests which are a relic of a much larger water body that was once part of the Vistula Lagoon. The Site has diverse vegetation cover, with more than 56 plant communities found, most of them aquatic. During summer, more than 140 bird species find refuge within the Site, 108 of them regularly. The region owes its origins to human draining and damming activities. In 2011, the Elblag Canal was declared as a historical monument by the President of the Republic of Poland. In several settlements, typical old Dutch buildings constructed by Mennonite immigrants have been preserved, and religious memorials such as 18th-century Mennonite cemeteries; the Site’s pumping stations, sluices from the 19th century and inclined planes on the Elblag Canal are industrial monuments of European significance. The main uses of the lake are fisheries, tourism and recreation activities such as cruises for tourists. A management plan has been implemented on the Site since 2005.