The floods that hit Poland in September 2024 have become one of the most serious challenges in recent years. Rains falling continuously for several days caused water levels in rivers to rise to unprecedented levels, destroying hundreds of homes, infrastructure and even taking lives. Despite the efforts of rescuers and authorities, the scale of the damage is enormous, estimated at more than 10 billion. What lessons can we learn from this tragedy? What should be the strategy for the future to minimise the risk of similar disasters?
In Brief:
Causes and Consequences of the Flood in Poland 2024
The 2024’s flood in Poland was the result of extreme weather conditions that turned into unusually intense rainfall. In some regions, particularly in the south-west of the country, rainfall totals exceeded 400 mm in three days. This is more than the annual rainfall norm in many parts of Poland. The water, which flowed into the rivers at a rapid rate, overflowed the embankments, flooding many towns and cities.
The consequences were dramatic: destroyed houses, roads and bridges, the evacuation of thousands of people, and great damage to agriculture and industry. In addition, fauna and flora were also affected by the floods, which could have long-term consequences for local ecosystems. The material damage runs into billions of zlotys, but the non-material damage – human tragedies, loss of life’s possessions and a sense of security – is the most severe.
Deficiencies in the Crisis Management
In the face of a natural disaster, numerous deficiencies in the crisis management system became apparent. Late declaration of the alarm, inadequate preventive action and a lack of coherence in communication between different institutions were just some of the problems that contributed to such large losses. Despite the available flood hazard maps and the flood risk management plans that have been developed, many local authorities have not implemented them in their development strategies.
It is also worth noting that despite the completion of important hydro-technical investments, such as the retention reservoirs of the Kłodzko Basin and the Racibórz reservoir, these have proved insufficient in the face of such a large influx of water. This is due to the fact that these projects were prepared on the basis of historical data, which did not take into account such drastic climatic changes as we have seen in recent years. On the other hand, it is worth comparing the plans for the construction of reservoirs after the 2010 floods with the actual implementation and asking those who protested then if they maintain their opposition today.
How is the Reduction of Investments in Flood-Prone Areas Implemented?
As the NIK report of December 2022 indicates, the actions of local governments in Poland are not sufficiently effective in limiting investments in flood-prone areas. In recent years, there has been significant investment pressure in flood-prone areas, as evidenced by the number of proceedings by the Polish Water Authority to agree or refuse development conditions in these areas.
Source of illustration: quoted NIK report
Potential investors often did not receive reliable information about flood risks, and local authorities did not analyse the costs associated with flood protection. The lack of cooperation between municipalities and Polish Water, the unreliable preparation of operational plans and the lack of consistent rules when formulating development conditions all contribute to an increased risk of material and social damage caused by flooding. The problem is further exacerbated by climate change and increasing investment pressure in vulnerable areas. This calls for appropriate regulatory changes.
What Can We Do to Minimize the Risk of Another Flood?
It is clear that the current situation requires us not only to provide immediate assistance to those affected, but also to learn lessons and rethink our floodplain management strategy in the context of adaptation to changing climatic conditions. Here are some of the important areas in our view where action needs to be taken:
- Revision of Land Use Plans
- It is essential that flood risk zones are reliably taken into account in land use plans. This means that the construction of new settlements or public facilities in floodplains should be prohibited or subject to restrictive conditions.
- Investment in retention facilities
- Increasing the number of retention basins, especially in mountainous areas, can help to control water flows. However, it is important that they are part of a flood prevention system, properly designed and located.
- Restoring natural floodplains
- Restoring natural floodplains, such as retention basins, wetlands and even foothill meadows or meadows, will help to absorb excess water during floods, while reducing the risk of landslides and soil erosion.
Such measures require common sense and close cooperation between local authorities, engineers and environmental specialists. At HydroBIM, we carried out an analysis of the possibilities of a small retention system for the municipality of Wielopole Skrzyńskie a few years ago and the results were clear. It turned out that in mountainous areas, relying solely on small retention solutions is insufficient for effective flood protection. Small and large retention projects should be complementary and not mutually exclusive.
It is important that residents in endangered areas are aware of the risks and know how to react in emergency situations. Educational campaigns and training should become a permanent part of prevention activities. 3D models and simulations, which we have long been preparing in HydroBIM, can be helpful for this.
Long-Term Measures
Adapting to climate change and reducing the risk of flooding requires an integrated approach involving cooperation at different levels – from local authorities to government to NGOs. The most important steps will be as follows:
- Implement modern technologies – hydraulic and hydrodynamic modelling can accurately identify flood risks and help to better manage rainwater. This calls for the use of BIM and GIS technologies. Condition monitoring systems for flood control structures are also available – Flood in Poland 2024 showed that it was the old structures that failed.
- Increased investment in environmental protection – funding environmental projects to improve water retention in flood-prone areas.
- Sustainable infrastructure development – the construction of new flood defences must be prioritised and modern technology allows decisions to be based on hard data, 3D models and simulations rather than solely on emotions and beliefs.
Summary
Flood in Poland 2024 is a dramatic reminder that climate change and associated extreme weather events are a real threat. The prerequisite for avoiding similar disasters in the future is effective flood risk management, the implementation of appropriate regulations and long-term planning that takes into account all aspects related to environmental protection and the safety of citizens, but also the education of modern civil engineers.
Floods in Lower Silesia are 1997, 2010, 2024. It is easy to see the regular interval. We may have less time this time, as climate change is accelerating. The time to act is now, before further tragic events verify the proverb ‘a wise Pole after the event’.
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