15 Flood Risk Management System in Poland
299
15.7 Recommendation
(a) As regards flood risk management, it is necessary to work out measures for
coordinating both flood protection and flood prevention, and also for mitigating
the effects of floods.
(b) In order to reduce the probability of occurrence of the risk and limit the effects
of a flood situation, it is indispensable to assess the susceptibility of an area to
flooding, and also its capacity to adapt to changes resulting from an increase
in flood risk due to climatic and anthropogenic factors. Models determining
an area’s capacity to adapt to climate change should take into consideration
indices based on a compilation of features of the natural environment and
of socio-economic conditions, for example the aggregate potential impact of
climate change, the overall capacity to adapt to climate change, and the potential
vulnerability to climate change.
(c) Due to the increasing frequency of occurrence of floods and the spatial expansion
of urbanised areas, it is necessary (particularly for municipal catchment areas)
to update flood hazard and risk maps and flood risk management plans.
(d) An important requirement concerns the implementation of a flood risk management system that would integrate strategies aimed at distancing floods from
people and people from floods, and also teaching people how to live with floods.
The objective of such an approach would be to support non-technical methods
of protection against floods (legislative, administrative and social measures, and
a broad insurance policy) with technical methods.
(e) The elaboration of a flood risk management plan obligates local self-government
authorities to take flood prone areas and areas exposed to risk into consideration
in local zoning plans, and further to impose prohibitions and limitations on
development conducted in these areas.
Acknowldgement The author thanks the State Water Holding Polish Waters – National Water
Management Authority for sharing materials and consent to their publication.
References
1. Evans EP, Ashley R, Hall J, Penning-Rowsell E, Sayers P, Thorne C, Watkinson A (2004)
Foresight. Future flooding. Scientific summary, vol 1. Future risks and their drivers, Office of
Science and Technology, London
2. Kang J-L, Su M-D, Chang L-F (2005) Loss functions and framework for regional flood damage
estimation in residential area. J Mar Sci Technol 13:193–199
3. Messner F, Meyer V (2005) Flood damage, vulnerability and risk perception – challenges for
flood damage research. UFZ Discussion Papers, Department of Economics, p 13
4. Berz G, Kron W, Loste T, Rauch E, Schimtschek J, Schmieder J, Siebert A, Smolka A, Wirtz
A (2011) World map of natural hazards - a global view of the distribution and intensity of
significant exposures. Nat Hazards 23:443–465
299
15.7 Recommendation
(a) As regards flood risk management, it is necessary to work out measures for
coordinating both flood protection and flood prevention, and also for mitigating
the effects of floods.
(b) In order to reduce the probability of occurrence of the risk and limit the effects
of a flood situation, it is indispensable to assess the susceptibility of an area to
flooding, and also its capacity to adapt to changes resulting from an increase
in flood risk due to climatic and anthropogenic factors. Models determining
an area’s capacity to adapt to climate change should take into consideration
indices based on a compilation of features of the natural environment and
of socio-economic conditions, for example the aggregate potential impact of
climate change, the overall capacity to adapt to climate change, and the potential
vulnerability to climate change.
(c) Due to the increasing frequency of occurrence of floods and the spatial expansion
of urbanised areas, it is necessary (particularly for municipal catchment areas)
to update flood hazard and risk maps and flood risk management plans.
(d) An important requirement concerns the implementation of a flood risk management system that would integrate strategies aimed at distancing floods from
people and people from floods, and also teaching people how to live with floods.
The objective of such an approach would be to support non-technical methods
of protection against floods (legislative, administrative and social measures, and
a broad insurance policy) with technical methods.
(e) The elaboration of a flood risk management plan obligates local self-government
authorities to take flood prone areas and areas exposed to risk into consideration
in local zoning plans, and further to impose prohibitions and limitations on
development conducted in these areas.
Acknowldgement The author thanks the State Water Holding Polish Waters – National Water
Management Authority for sharing materials and consent to their publication.
References
1. Evans EP, Ashley R, Hall J, Penning-Rowsell E, Sayers P, Thorne C, Watkinson A (2004)
Foresight. Future flooding. Scientific summary, vol 1. Future risks and their drivers, Office of
Science and Technology, London
2. Kang J-L, Su M-D, Chang L-F (2005) Loss functions and framework for regional flood damage
estimation in residential area. J Mar Sci Technol 13:193–199
3. Messner F, Meyer V (2005) Flood damage, vulnerability and risk perception – challenges for
flood damage research. UFZ Discussion Papers, Department of Economics, p 13
4. Berz G, Kron W, Loste T, Rauch E, Schimtschek J, Schmieder J, Siebert A, Smolka A, Wirtz
A (2011) World map of natural hazards - a global view of the distribution and intensity of
significant exposures. Nat Hazards 23:443–465