Flood Risk Management System in Poland

Abstract

Flood, as a hydrological phenomenon with socio-economic significance, is classified among the most dangerous and costly extreme occurrences in the world and Europe. Because of the growing flood risk recorded in the European Union countries, in 2007, there was implemented the Floods Directive on the assessment and management of flood risks. The new flood risk management system in Poland, based on a technical protections system and non-technical flood prevention methods includes preliminary risk assessment, preparation of flood hazard and flood risk maps, and risk management plans. Preliminary assessment involves the identification of places with significant flood risk, which is determined by analysis of the immediate impact of the flood on human life and health, and various areas of economic activity with the infrastructure, as well as the effectiveness of existing flood control structures. Flood risk management plans are a planning document delineating actions which are to realise the main flood risk management objectives. The models dealing with flood risk management implemented in Poland, in connection with the Floods Directive, represent the strategies: “Moving flood away from the people”, “Moving people away from flood” and “Learning to live with flood”. The first strategy is altering flood to meet the requirements of human activity, the second accommodate human economic activity to flood and the third proposes reducing an area’s flood and inundation susceptibility during a flood. Considerable significance is now attributed to the so-called non-technical methods, organisational-legal and planning measures, with on the other hand stressing the efficacy of comprehensive flood protection solutions, which are adapted to the hydrological conditions and the extent of land development of catchments. Comparison of elements of flood risk management strategies and the Polish experience in flood loss reduction has shown that a reasonable avenue is a compilation of technical and non-technical actions, and selection of an optimal one, which will make possible the realisation of the directive’s guidelines.