Long-term development and effectiveness of private flood mitigation measures: an analysis for the German part of the river Rhine

P Bubeck,H Kreibich,W J W Botzen,J C J H Aerts

doi:10.5194/nhess-12-3507-2012

Abstract

Abstract. Flood mitigation measures implemented by private households have become an important component of contemporary integrated flood risk management in Germany and many other countries. Despite the growing responsibility of private households to contribute to flood damage reduction by means of private flood mitigation measures, knowledge on the long-term development of such measures, which indicates changes in vulnerability over time, and their effectiveness, is still scarce. To gain further insights into the long-term development, current implementation level and effectiveness of private flood mitigation measures, empirical data from 752 flood-prone households along the German part of the Rhine are presented. It is found that four types of flood mitigation measures developed gradually over time among flood-prone households, with severe floods being important triggers for an accelerated implementation. At present, still a large share of respondents has not implemented a single flood mitigation measure, despite the high exposure of the surveyed households to floods. The records of household's flood damage to contents and structure during two consecutive flood events with similar hazard characteristics in 1993 and 1995 show that an improved preparedness of the population led to substantially reduced damage during the latter event. Regarding the efficiency of contemporary integrated flood risk management, it is concluded that additional policies are required in order to further increase the level of preparedness of the flood-prone population. This especially concerns households in areas that are less frequently affected by flood events.

Highlights

In line with a general trend towards more integrated flood risk management approaches, the contribution of private households to flood damage reduction gained increasing importance in Germany, as well as on a European and global level (Laska, 1986; ICPR, 2002; Few, 2003; Federal Environment Agency, 2010; Bubeck et al, 2012a)
Fi1gu7re 1 provides an overview on the flood events that the respondents experienced as most severe, as well as the longter1m8 development of four different types of flood mitigation measures among flood-prone households between 1980 and 2011: namely, structural measures implemented by homeowners, structural measures implemented by owners and tenants, avoidance measures and flood barriers
Even though the contribution of private households to flood damage reduction by means of mitigation measures has become an integral component of contemporary flood risk management in Germany and many other countries, knowledge about the latter is still scarce

Summary

Introduction

In line with a general trend towards more integrated flood risk management approaches, the contribution of private households to flood damage reduction gained increasing importance in Germany, as well as on a European and global level (Laska, 1986; ICPR, 2002; Few, 2003; Federal Environment Agency, 2010; Bubeck et al, 2012a). Complementary to traditional flood protection, such integrated approaches aim at reducing the potential consequences of floods, amongst others, by means of flood mitigation measures undertaken by private households, such as flood-adapted building use or the deployment of flood barriers. In Germany, private households’ responsibility for flood damage reduction has been increasingly emphasized and embedded into flood risk management in response to severe floods in 1993 and 1995 along the rivers Rhine and Meuse and in 2002 along the Elbe and Danube (Federal Environment Agency, 2010).

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Conclusion