Flood risk assessment at Tundzha river basin, Bulgaria

Abstract

Tundzha River is the third greatest river in Bulgaria and the largest tributary of the fourth largest river in the country, the Maritsa River. The risks for flood events in the Tundzha River basin was assessed based on the characteristics of the river basin and the main causes of floods as sources and mechanisms. The populated places at the highest risks of flood events were identified. The risk forecasting for the city of Yambol, the largest city on the river’s banks, was also presented in the case of floods with different heights of the wave. It was found that flooding in the Bulgarian side of the Tundzha River basin could be caused mostly by high river water levels due to severe rainfall or the rapid melting of huge amounts of snow.