Flood Risk Management in Europe

Abstract

In recent years flooding and the risk associated have been rising with increased frequency in many European countries. Recent floods in Europe have been a reminder of the threat that flooding poses to the wellbeing of European citizens. In 1995 250,000 people had to be evacuated in the Netherlands when extreme water levels on the Rhine threatened the dikes. Floods on the Oder in July/August 1997 submerged large agricultural and industrial areas as well as towns and villages. In 1998 and 2000 Britain suffered its worst floods in years. A recent estimate revealed that 4.5 million people in 2.3 million homes are currently at risk from flooding in UK. Flooding in central Europe in the summer of 2002 resulted in over 110 deaths and total economic damage estimates in excess of E15 billion. These alarming events have provided renewed impetus to the development of improved policies and techniques for flood risk management across Europe. There is a growing recognition that flood risk can be mitigated making space for water through sustainable management. The continents’ great rivers traverse national boundaries. Basin-wide co-operation for such large river catchments can aid in adapting sustainable flood management strategies. Flood management has started focusing on practical problems, dilemmas and challenges at European scale. The European Commission has, through successive Framework Programmes, supported collaborative research that is leading to sharing of technologies across Europe and an emerging policy consensus. Flooding cannot be divorced from other policy domains in which the Commission has an important stake, such as the environmental quality of river catchments (through the Water Framework Directive) and coastal zone management. Flood risk and vulnerability is increasing due to changes in rainfall pattern, increased frequency of extreme events, changes in land use and development in flood prone areas as a result of socio-economic demand. Human lives, property, environment and socio-economics are at increasing risk due to flooding. A combination of unexpected events and more concerted processes therefore brings us to a moment when it is meaningful to talk about Flood risk management in Europe, the title of this volume, which brings together 26 peer reviewed articles on technical, social, environmental and policy aspects of flood risk management. These articles contribute to the general themes: flood risk management practice, flood events and impacts, flood analysis and modelling, flood forecasting an