Challenges
Flood events necessitate cooperation due to their spatial dimension. Flood protection concepts and strategies should therefore consider functional units along the river. This requires cooperation between organisations, regional authorities and states. In the context of the Transboundary Water Commissions (DE, CZ, SK) infrastructure projects are harmonised internationally. Apart from already sufficiently defined responsibilities and interfaces, for example in the field of technical flood protection, there is still potential for improvement in the area of personal provision and the management of retention zones. An integrated flood management should be the objective of a trans-organisational and transboundary flood protection strategy. The measures have to be consistent with the regulatory guidelines at EU and national level (EU Flood Directive and EU Water Framework Directive).
Description of the measure
- Promote a drainage area related overall view for flood protection
- Collaborate in the development of river basin related concepts and plans for the improvement of the hydrological and sediment balance (deposition of fine grained and lack of coarse grained sediments)
- Ensure cooperation across organisations and borders as part of the river basin management (in accordance with Article 15a B-VG Agreements)
- Implement renaturation measures with positive effects for flood protection (e.g. riverbank restoration, reconnection of backwaters and side arms)
- Trans-regional exchange of experience; e.g. conduct joint flood protection trainings in the drainage area
- Include all flood-relevant stakeholders – starting from meteorology to hydrology and hydrography up to spatial planning and civil protection
- Operate and further develop monitoring systems, forecast models and warning systems
- Take into account the groundwater balance when implementing flood protection projects
- Harmonise strategies for the maintenance and creation of retention areas (= passive flood protection)
Concluded implementation activities
- Danube Flood Control Agency (DHK) new:
Preparatory works (e. g. data collection for the digital representation of essential DHK characteristics, recording of properties and flood protection facilities, etc.) for the DHK reform project, currently being implemented (see above). - Evaluation and revision of the "Flood Service Regulation"
- Revision of the "Operating regulation flood protection facilities Morava-Thaya"
- Regional disaster management exercise 2018
Impact indicator | Lead | Cooperation partners |
| Spatial and comprehensive cooperation in flood protection | viadonau | Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (bmvit), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Environment and Water Management (bmlfuw), Austrian federal states (Länder), Water Associations, Transboundary Water Commissions, Verbund, Danube Flood Control Agency (DHK) |