Flood protection measures for the historic centres of Cesky Krumlov and Prague

Prague and Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

Pixabay © Peter Tóth

Lead

The Czech Ministry of Agriculture, the Czech Ministry of Environment and Prague City Hall

Main hazard(s)

Extreme precipitation, Floods

Disaster Risk Management phase(s)

During disaster, Post-disaster

Type(s) of measure(s)

Technological/Technical

Structural measures

Background

A flood control system based on a combination of green-blue and grey infrastructure was implemented in the historic centres of Prague and Cesky Krumlov, following up what was recognised as the most expensive weather-related disaster in the history of the area: the 2002 flooding.

Before this event, none of the municipalities had adaptation measures in place, being climate change a fringe topic in local political agendas. Measures implemented consisted mostly on grey infrastructure such as fixed and mobile barriers and safety valves in the canalisation network along the Vltava River. Such measures were combined with green infrastructure interventions as support to coping with flash-flooding. The implemented measures were assessed using a cost benefit analysis which showed that the benefits would be greater than the costs even if only one event with a return period of 50 years is considered. Measures were effectively tested in the following 2013 flood.

Sources

This initiative is one of the case studies featured in the EU FP-7 project BASE – Bottom-Up Climate Adaptation Strategies towards a Sustainable Europe.

For more information on the project BASE, visit: https://base-adaptation.eu/