Floods in Poland? Send for the Dutch

Poland, particularly the area around Wroclaw is in a similar position to areas of the Netherlands in facing flood risks from rivers flowing long distances through the country to the sea. In the Netherlands, risks are being addressed by the Room for the River project ( MJ January 2013) and elements of that flood protection scheme are contained in the plans to protect Wroclaw.

Wroclaw has experienced the effects of catastrophic flooding for many years including in July 1997, when a third of the city was flooded during a period of the worst post-war flooding to affect Poland Germany and the Czech Republic. More recent flooding also occurred in 2010. Around 2.5 million inhabitants are at risk in and around Wroclaw from the navigable river Odra which runs for almost 750km through Poland.

The whole region floods regularly, especially in the spring and the programme will reduce peak flow of the Odra, improving the efficiency of existing flood protection, as well as by increasing the capacity of the river channels that run through and near to Wroclaw. The project for Grontmij is an extension of the original assignment agreed late in 2012 and will continue until 2014 with a project value for Grontmij of €2.8m. The client is the Lower Silesia Board for Amelioration and Water Structures in Wroclaw (DZMiUW).

The assignment includes designing, modernising and improving the existing floodway system and the role for Grontmij will include acting as consulting engineer to design the improvements of the flood protection works. In a JV with Artelia and Ekocentrum they will also be responsible for monitoring, evaluation and supervision of the environmental management plan.