Flood control on the Odra

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Flood control on the Odra case study
Domaszków - Tarchalice
Piotr Nieznanski, WWF Poland
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(No Transcript)
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Despite river improvement valuable forest
and meadow biotopes along the Odra Riparian
forests on the Odra, still in good condition, are
one of the most valuable in Europe
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The flood of 1997
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The flood of 1997 can we expect a new approach
to flood control ?

• The reality
• construction and modernisation of reservoirs
• modernisation and raising of dikes
• construction of flood channels

• plans of further regulation dams and more dams

• floodplain restoration is forgotten ?

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The Odra Floodplain Atlas Data base accessible
to all GIS
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Natural floodplain area of the Odra - more
than 3600 km2 Viable floodplains today -
just 970 km2 (27 )
Lack of effective mechanisms for floodplain
protection is responsible for growing pressure
(intensification of agriculture, rural and urban
development) On the Odra the importance of
floodplains for flood control is appreciated only
on paper, very little is done to restore and
protect them.
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Bieliszów Lubów km 346 352
Unhappy example after 1997 - turkey farming on
the planned retention area Bieliszów Lubów
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Domaszków Tarchalice km 319 326,5
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Domaszków Tarchalice km 319 326,5
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Domaszków Tarchalice km 319 326,5
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Domaszków Tarchalice km 319 326,5
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Domaszków Tarchalice km 319 326,5
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Moving back the embankment (km 319 326.5)

• Benefits to nature and economy
• Good conditions for floodplain regeneration
• Permanent natural retention area of 670 ha
• Area drained and flooded without technical
  interference
• New dike - lower (built on the river terrace),
  safer (situated outside the forested area)

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Case study Domaszków - Tarchalice

• Forest management
• Water management
• Nature protection
• Land reclamation
• Self - governments

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• 90 of the area is under forest, 55 of it
  are riparian forests /grey colour/
• 14 main types of biotopes
• 8 natural river valley
  biotopes
• 3 semi-natural
• 3 anthropogenic

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Risk analysis for forestry hydrology
soils relief ecosystems
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• Future action
• Feasibility study for dike removal
• Introducing adjustments into existing flood
  control and physical planning
• Securing funding for the dike removal by applying
  to national and EU sources
• (in cooperation with the self-government of
  Wolow Commune, Water Management Authority and
  Forestry Authority)

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WWW.WWF.PL
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Ecological relevance of floodplains and their
interconnectivity
Floodplains cover approx. 6-8 of the land
surface (in central Europe) But offer
habitat for more than 50 of all plant
associations (based on Swiss data)