Abstract

The Odra-Vistula Flood Management Project (OVFMP) is implemented with the assistance of international financial institutions, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Council of Europe Development Bank, as well as with the support of funding from the Cohesion Fund and the state budget. Aside from others, the objective of the OVFMP is to increase flood protection for people living in selected areas of the Odra and Upper Vistula basins. The Odra-Vistula Flood Management Project consists of 5 components. In this paper the Component 1, Flood protection of the Middle and Lower Odra River will be discussed. This component aims to enhance protection against summer floods and winter floods to the cities and smaller towns located along the Odra River. The activities will include, among others, the (re)construction of dikes and other bank protective works, dredging of the Odra riverbed and its channels, river training works, and the reconstruction of spur dikes. All mentioned works will be carried out to ensure the safety of icebreaking operation which requires sufficient depth over the entire river course. Five bridges also need to be raised to facilitate safe passage of icebreakers. Within Lower and Middle Odra River the most significant flood risk is posed, in winter conditions, by ice jams created when flowing ice is stopped by existing obstacles such as shallow areas in the riverbed, narrowing of the riverbed and other obstacles caused by a result of sudden changes of the river current, backwater from sea waters and northern winds, which contribute to creation of ice jams (Lower Odra River runs a typically meridional course). This in turn causes damming of water and flooding of adjacent areas. The main aim of proposed tasks is to reduce possibility of creation of ice jams and to enable icebreaking which is the most efficient tool for minimizing risks of winter floods. These tasks will ensure safe passage of ice down the river and at the same time reduction of flood risk to adjacent areas.

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