Making Space for Water in the River Basin

lood Protection in the Bodrog River Basin

FLOOD PROTECTION IN THE BODROG RIVER BASIN Foreword What does fl ood mean? The Bodrog River Basin 1. Causes of fl ood situations 2. Approaches in fl ood protection 3. Technical approaches to fl ood protection 4. Alternative approaches to fl ood protection 5. Who should be involved in fl ood protection? 6. Why should stakeholders be involved?

TABLE OF CONTENTS 7. How competent authorities can motivate stakeholders? 8. Case Studies 2 Making Space for Water in the Bodrog River Basin aking Space for Water in the M Bodrog River Basin FLOOD PROTECTION IN THE The goal of this brochure is to inform BODROG RIVER BASIN relevant stakeholders who live and act within the Bodrog River Basin countries FOREWORD about possibilities for fl oods prevention and for their mitigation. It is not possi- Since April 2009 Global Water Part- ble to give an exhaustive explanation, nership started implemen- but by presenting practical examples tation of the project “Making Space to support the long term of sustainable for Water in Bodrog River Basin” un- solutions for fl ood prevention. der the auspices of ICPDR and with of support Global Environmental WHAT DOES FLOOD MEAN? Facility. Flood means the temporary covering of land by water which is not covered by water under normal condition. The main project objective is to miti- gate consequences of fl oods through Floods are natural phenomena which achieving consistent and holistic man- cannot be prevented. However, some agement of fl ood risk in Bodrog River Ba- human activities (such as expanding sin countries (Slovakia--) human settlements and economic as- by creating partnerships between sets in fl oodplains and the reduction cross-border, national and local levels of the natural water retention by land through the development of corporate use) and climate change contribute “Strategy for mitigation of fl oods for Bo- to an increase in the likelihood and drog River Basin countries” and imple- adverse impacts of fl ood events. mentation of practical and sustainable solutions for fl ood prevention. THE BODROG RIVER BASIN Project activities are implemented in The Bodrog River Basin represents cooperation with Slovak, Hungarian a complex river system, consisting of and Ukrainian partners. Where possible, project considers the maintenance and/or restoration of fl oodplains by creating “space” for water during fl ood events, as well as measures to prevent and reduce damage to human health, the environment, cultural heritage and economic activity. The involvement of municipalities, river basin organizations, NGOs, farmers, spatial and urban plan- ning authorities is crucial. Therefore project activities are focusing also on establishment of the close cooperation with these stakeholders. Making Space for Water in the Bodrog River Basin 3

4 main sub-river basins: , Lab- orec, Uh and . There is no real spring of the Bodrog River itself, as it is originated by the confl uence of Lator- ica and Ondava Rivers on the Slovak territory. The Bodrog River Basin with the area of 11 552 km2 .is a part of the River Basin, which belongs to the interna- tional catchment area of the River. The Bodrog River Basin is practi- cally shared by four countries: Ukraine, Slovakia and Hungary, as only 0, 3 km² is located in Poland.

1. CAUSES OF FLOOD SITUATIONS Why fl oods occur in the Bodrog Basin? • Natural conditions - geology of the upper basin is formed particularly from impermeable fl ysch rocks, nat- ural processes of erosion and clog- ging rivers basin, the occurrence of drog Basin, creating large paved intense storm rainfall and the nature areas in cities and towns without of other consequences of climate natural drainage of rainfall and change. consequent increase in surface • Human activities in the river basin runoff from the urbanized environ- which reduce the natural ability ment. for water retention - deforesta- • Economic impacts - e.g. lack of tion, the application of incorrect fi nancial resources to implement procedures in agricultural and in preventive measures - the mainte- forestry practices, settlements and nance of watercourses. sealing of natural fl oodplains, the • Coordination - lack of coopera- impact of water works in the Bo- tion among stakeholders and com- 4 Making Space for Water in the Bodrog River Basin

petent authorities in preventing • An alternative approach - the result fl oods. of conscious efforts to adapt the behaviour of human to nature and When fl oods occur in the Bodrog hence the natural regime of surface Basin? water • The accumulation of water from melting snow, or as a result of in- 3. TECHNICAL APPROACHES TO tense summer rainfall. FLOOD PROTECTION • Flooding areas by inland waters. It The technical approaches for imple- is a condition in which water ac- menting the fl ood protection meas- cumulated in the dyke protected ures to prevent fl ooding are following: territory and cannot drain naturally, • modifi cations of watercourses and because of the increased state of building of fl ood defences water in the river, which diverts wa- • increasing of ability to retain water ter from the territory. in the territory by construction of the • Due to the movement of ice, ice reservoirs and polders roadblocks, ice jams or other obsta- • measures to reduce erosion and cles in rivers. sediment transport (construction of • Due to malfunction or breach of locks and weirs) the dyke, dam or levee. • maintenance of watercourses and removal of obstacles in the bed of Major fl oods events in recent years: watercourses • August, November 1998, March • application of recent scientifi c re- 2001– fl ooding of city sults in the area of technical solutions and a number of nearby villages by and management approaches Latorica River, fl ooding of Uzhgorod To ensure truly effective fl ood pro- city by River in Ukraine tection it is necessary to apply these • January 2007 – fl ooding of Perechin approaches as far as these can be city and near-by villages by Uzh balanced. River in Ukraine • July 2004 - fl ooding due to break- age of Left-bank dyke of the On- dava River in Slovakia • July 2008 - a critical fl ood situation in the upper Topla River Basin the characteristics of fl oods and the alarm levels at the Hungarian sec- tion of Bodrog River

2. APPROACHES IN FLOOD PROTECTION The fl ood protection includes two par- allel approaches: 4. ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO • Technical approach - is the result FLOOD PROTECTION of efforts to adapt to nature and Conservation of natural fl oodplains of hence the natural water regime of the rivers and creating new ones. people’s needs (land settlement, Conservation of the natural fl ood- agricultural use, etc...). plains (inundation), water fl ow has Making Space for Water in the Bodrog River Basin 5

all stakeholders in this fi eld. The land use is essential to apply proper proce- dures to alleviate the risk of fl ooding:

• Good Agricultural Practice (contour farming technology, mulching, ma- nure disposal management, main- tenance of grass, grazing control, etc.). • Governing forestry practices. • Good practices for urban planning (addressing surface runoff from urbanized areas, accepting the defi nition of fl oodplains in land-use plans and increasing the built area a signifi cant effect on fl attening the municipalities, etc.). fl ood wave and fl ood alleviation. 5. WHO SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN Protecting and restoring wetlands FLOOD PROTECTION? Wetlands are among other important Those affected by fl oods: functions and the ability to retain wa- • Residents of towns and villages ter in the country and thus contribute • Operators manage and using land to river fl ood protection. in the basin - farms, subsistence farmers, forest owners, the organi- Connection of fl ood protection with zation managing the forest and land use and landscape planning employed in the forests, industrial It is based on the principle of integrat- • Owners, managers and users of ed water management, thus involving buildings on water fl ow and fl ood- ing area • Administrators of and drainage channels • Administrators water supplies and sewerage • Administrators lines crossing water streams (oil, gas, hot water) • Regional Road Administration

Those who have a duty to protect citi- zens against fl ood: Their activity in the river basin helps to prevent fl ooding, mitigating their ef- fects and eliminate their consequenc- es - fl ood forecasting and early warn- ing of the population, the introduction of preventive measures to protect against fl oods - the maintenance of watercourses, construction of polders, rescue and security works. 6 Making Space for Water in the Bodrog River Basin

• Government authorities for protec- es - fi eld trips to the places where tion against fl oods: Ministry of Environ- changes of the river basin man- ment (ENV), Regional offi ces of the agement have lead to fl ood miti- guidelines, district offi ces Outsourcing gation. • Administrators of watercourses • By involving unemployed into prac- • Hydrometeorological Institute tical action to mitigate risks of fl oods • Local authorities - municipalities - e.g. cleaning of water courses • Ministries of Environment, Agricul- fl ows and explanation of the ben- ture, Interior.... efi ts of these activities. • Regional Directorate Fire and Res- • By providing fi nancial or tax incen- cue Service tives for farmers who are using good • District Directorate Fire and Rescue practice in terms of fl ood protection. Service • By providing the fi nancial or tax in- • Flood Commissions centives for the retention of surface runoff in urbanized areas and urban 6. WHY SHOULD STAKEHOLDERS BE communities. INVOLVED? • By providing online and concise in- All groups of stakeholders, i.e. those formation on fl ood protection. affected as well as those with duties • By educating young generation on have common goals why to eliminate fl ood protection issues, i.e. in school the risk of fl ood situation: education. • Protecting lives and property from • By conducting training sessions in fl oods. communities, schools and on fl ood • Preservation of soil fertility for future protection techniques. generations. • By presenting the issue of fl oods in the More specifi cally, landowners have the media (radio, television, daily news- greatest power for the practical appli- papers, Internet) to wider public. cation of measures for fl ood protection • By conducting exercises for the because improper activities carried public to simulate fl ood events. out in the river basin may increase the risk of fl ooding and increase the dan- 8. CASE STUDIES ger of fl ood damages (e.g.): In scope of the project “Making space - construction of houses in the fl ood for water in the river Bodrog River Basin plains, (Ukraine-Slovakia-Hungary)” following - placement of landfi lls in the fl ooded case studies were implanted: areas, - construction of temporary benches Pilot area - Ukraine on rivers, or creeks, Location: - incorrect practices in agriculture Baranintsi community near Uzhgorod and forestry management, in 12 km from the border with Slovak - a disproportionate increase in hard- Republic in the Bodrog river basin. ened surfaces which increases surface runoff in urban and municipalities. Objective: To conduct preparatory works to re- 7. HOW COMPETENT AUTHORITIES store the Latorica river polder system CAN MOTIVATE STAKEHOLDERS? focusing on the Tova River to improve • By showing practical examples of the water fl ow capacity of the river- the good fl ood protection practic- bed for fl ood protection purposes. Making Space for Water in the Bodrog River Basin 7

tems and in the same time establishment of measures focusing on retention of wa- ter during fl ood events in the territory.

Baseline situation: In the past, several measures were tak- en to protect this area from fl oods and draining inland waters which have had critically impaired the original fl ood- plain ecosystem functions (e.g. fl ood attenuation, nutrient reduction, pollu- Baseline situation: tion control, groundwater recharge, • Tova riverbed is not visible - over- and fi sh spawning areas). Only remains grown with plants and trees, pol- of the original ecosystems and refugee luted by garbage. for migrating birds now occur along • Small water discharge capacity – the fi shponds at Iňačovce and Senné even small fl ood causes damage. located in the middle of Senné depres- • The Tova River as place for illegal sion (National Nature Reserve Sennian- discharges of waste waters. ske ponds).

Activities: Activities: • Cleaning up of f the Tova riverbed • Reconstruction of existing fl ood- (total length – 3 km) with the part- gate in confl uence of drying bypass nership with Baranintsi community channel with Žiarovnický stream. as a fi rst stage of its fl oodplain use • Updating of the fl oodgate operation- as retention area al manual aiming at supplying wet- • Conduction for the fi rst time public lands by water during fl ood events / hearings and public involvement or the dry period focusing on an im- into riverbed restoration. provement of the National Nature Re- serve Sennianske ponds conditions. Results/effects of the intervention: • Preparatory works for restoration Results/effects of the intervention: and further use of Tova river fl ood- Intervention will ensure to supply wet- plain as retention area are done lands by water during the dry period • Platform for new projects and fur- and in case of fl ood events to facili- ther optimization of the use of the tate the elimination of fl ood impact area for fl ood protection purposes. on this territory Thus will improve the National Nature Reserve Sennianske Pilot area - Slovakia ponds conditions. Location: Senné depression bisected by the Pilot area – Hungary Čierna Voda River a tributary of the Location: River (entering close to the In the lower Hungarian section of the confl uence with the Uh River). Bodrog River at the outskirts of Olaszlisz- ka, Viss and Sárazsadány settlements Objective: there is a horse-shoe shaped oxbow Restoration of the original fl oodplains af- called Viss-Oxbow (Vissi Holtág) on the fected by capital-intensive drainage sys- left-hand side fl ood plain of the river. 8 Making Space for Water in the Bodrog River Basin

Objective: is blocked. The living conditions of To improve the water supply to - plant groups and other living spe- Bodrog corner Landscape-protection cies of Viss-Oxbow and Tokaj-Bo- District with improved living conditions drogcorner Landscape-protection of the protected plants and birds in District signifi cantly deteriorate. the region. The site is the main fl ood- plain area with national protected Activities: area in its close vicinity. • To ensure better quality of bi- otopes, there is a need to bring Baseline situation: water during the fl oods into the ox- The technical fl ood protection measures bow and to retain the water there which were carried out during the last afterwards. 150 years have signifi cantly changed the • Renovation of the trunk main and hydromorphological status of the rivers: the existing sluice at the Bodrog- • Bends were cut through shortening corner trunk conjunction., construc- the river beds and increasing the tion of a new sluice at the mouth of water stream velocity. the oxbow • Flood protection levees separated signifi cant portions of fl ood plain Results/effects of the intervention: areas form the main rivers and the As the result of the intervention, wa- oxbows remained outside of the ter will be retained in the Viss Oxbow levees thus the transversal connec- after fl oods, and the water supply of tions were blocked. the Tokaj-Bodrogcorner Landscape- • The downstream mouth of the ox- protection District will be ensured in bow is not regulated and the fl ow dry periods.

The project “Making Space for Water in Bodrog River Basin” partners:

HUNGARY: – North-Hungarian Environmental and Water Directorate (EKOVIZIG) – Environmental Protection and Water Management Research Institute (VITUKI) – GWP Hungary

SLOVAKIA: – GWP Slovakia – The Slovak Water Management Enterprise – Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute – Daphne

UKRAINE: – Zakarpattya Oblast Organization of All-Ukrainian Ecological League – Village council of Baranintsi

Published in the project UNDP/GEF in the area for water catchment Bodrog

[]Printed and designed by: ADIN, s.r.o. , April 2010

Printing on 100% recycled papers