About the need to update flood hazard maps (MZP) and flood risk maps (MRP), which are the basis for planning investments in flood protection, says Agnieszka Śliwa – Chief Specialist of the Planning Department at the Department of Flood Protection and Drought of the Polish Water Management Authority (PGW WP).
Which regions of Poland are most at risk of flooding and where does it result?
The answer can be found in the first document of the Flood Directive planning cycle – preliminary flood risk assessment (WORP). Simplifying the results of the preliminary assessment very much, the greatest flood risk occurs: in southern Poland, in the water regions of the Lesser Vistula, Upper Vistula (Eastern and Western) and Upper and Middle Odra; in northern Poland, in the Lower Oder and Lower Vistula water regions and on the coast. The document also indicates the so-called Flood-prone areas (ONNP). Floods with significant consequences can and do occur here (they concern human health, the state of the environment, cultural heritage and economic activity). For FFAs, flood hazard maps (MZP) and flood risk maps (MRP) are developed.
Is it possible that we will be fully secured against floods?
Nobody has any influence on the threat, so 100% security cannot be achieved. Climate change is conducive to the emergence of catastrophic floods. Technical means of the so-called passive flood protection (i.e. dikes and accompanying structures) are designed to operate under specific conditions. If a catastrophic flood occurs (such as the one on the Odra River in 1997) – it may be damaged or destroyed. Therefore, it is important to take measures to develop the affected area (exposure), the vulnerability of its elements to threats and the ability of residents to counteract and eliminate the consequences of the disaster (sensitivity).
What have we learned from the experience of recent years?
The European Commission very highly rated the reports at the end of the 2010-2015 planning cycle on the implementation of the provisions of the Floods Directive by Poland. However, good products can be improved. The assessment makes several recommendations. We implement them by carrying out work for the next cycle. The most important is the development, for the first time in Poland, of maps for types of floods other than river floods – related to failures of retention reservoirs. We also draw our own conclusions. The map improvements result from the use of more accurate and advanced terrain models and transient motion, which allows for much more precise delineation of risk areas.
Can the documents prepared by PGW WP be described as innovative?
Certainly, the project “Review and update of MZP and MRP” can be called innovative. It’s in line with the current flood risk management trends. MZP and MRP contain a lot of information. To determine the extent of flood risk areas, the latest tools were used – hydrodynamic models to simulate the development of floods in a given area. The new maps will cover a total of approx. 28 thousand km of rivers – for them, we will have comprehensive knowledge about the potential flood and its consequences. The maps will be used in spatial development planning and will form the basis for the development of flood risk management plans.
For which works are tenders recently announced most often? How many tenders are pending?
Most of the public contracts were carried out by the National Water Management Authority (KZGW), before the emergence of Polish Waters. In 2019, a total of 7 tenders were announced (for the preparation of the review and update of the MZP and MRP, for the development of flood risk management plans). In 2020, we plan to announce five (more information on PGWWP public procurement on the website www.wody.gov.pl).
How long does it take, on average, from announcing a tender to selecting a contractor for a given task?
The time from announcing the tender to selecting a contractor isn’t all that is needed to start the implementation of the planning project. The first stage is obtaining financing – in this case subsidies from European Funds. After signing the contract for financing, we will prepare a description of the subject of the contract (OPZ). This is the stage to which we will devote a lot of attention and time. Properly prepared gives a real chance for effective public procurement and timely obtaining a high-quality product. The last step is to announce a tender. The necessary time results directly from the provisions of the Act (public procurement law). Planning projects are costly. Most qualify for open tendering with publication by the EU Publications Office. Sometimes it requires prior control by the President of the Public Procurement Office.
What planning documents were implemented before the establishment of Polish Waters, and which were started after 1 January 2018?
Before the establishment of Polish Waters, the preparation of such projects was the responsibility of the National Water Management Authority, which is responsible for the documents in the first cycle of the Floods Directive. In 2017, KZGW started work on the second one: review and update of the preliminary flood risk assessment, MZP and MRP. Since the beginning of 2018, Polish Waters have been continuing them, and in 2019 they started to develop a review and update of flood risk management plans..
Are planning documents prepared taking into account retention development programs or prevention of the effects of drought?
The development of MZP and MRP isn’t related to these programs, but flood risk management plans have very important relationships with them. The common elements are activities aimed at shaping the retention. The plan for counteracting the effects of drought includes measures to verify the principles of water management in multi-purpose storage reservoirs. Objective: the objects are to effectively perform functions related to the accumulation of water in periods of its scarcity and of capturing excess water during floods. This means that the capacity of the tanks should be used to counter both threats.
Would the development of such extensive and advanced planning documents be possible without the support of the EU?
These are expensive projects. It would have been much more difficult without EU support. In the 2014-2020 financial perspective, PGW WP is a beneficiary of projects in the field of flood protection and counteracting the effects of drought, co-financed under the Infrastructure and Environment Operational Program, under Priority Axis II, action 2.1 “Adaptation to climate change along with protection and increasing resistance to natural disasters, in particular natural disasters and environmental monitoring ”. Co-financing from OPI & E allows to cover 85% of project development costs.
In addition to financial assistance, the aspect of substantive support is also important. Experts from Polish Waters take part in the work of the European Commission working group on flood issues. We have ongoing access to methods and tools developed by the member states of the European Union, and we can discuss them in the context of challenges resulting from the implementation of the Floods Directive.
