Development of a methodology for an integrated evaluation of floodplains in Austria
Abstract
This project represents a study dealing with the advancement and practical application of the FEM-method (Floodplain Evaluation Matrix), which has been developed by BOKU, in order to meet the aims of the EU floods directive. The statement „rivers need room“ is not new, but as a matter of fact, floodplains are still affected by ongoing land consumption. Moreover, rivers have been constrained and degraded and therefore often have lost the necessary space for morphological alterations as they do occur during large floods. However, natural floodplains adjacent to rivers feature significant impacts on flood wave peaks and translation. Further, keeping floodplains free from higher development decreases risk potential in these areas (remaining risk, higher risk). The preservation, respectively the restoration of floodplains, hence represents an important element of an integrated flood risk management as it is demanded in the EU directive on the assessment and management of flood risks (2007 60 EG). These efforts in preserving and/or restoring river floodplains should therefore be guided by objective criteria. Such criteria have been developed within the EU-project PRO_Floodplain under the acronym FEM-method (Floodplain Evaluation Matrix) in order to evaluate and prioritize floodplains within a river catchment or a river reach. Further, this study investigates the summation effects of long-term spatial development on river floodplains. The aim of this project is the testing, adaptation and enhancement of the FEM-method regarding aspects of national water management by applying the method to several Austrian case studies. As result, the development of a practical floodplain evaluation method for Austrian rivers is intended. This evaluation should provide stake-holders with valuable information of floodplain effectiveness for further water management plannings in the sense of the floods directive (by using tools of spatial planning in order to keep floodplains free from development).
Publikationen
Project staff
Helmut Habersack
Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Dr.h.c. Helmut Habersack
helmut.habersack@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81901, 81911
BOKU Project Leader
01.07.2011 - 31.10.2014
Bernhard Schober
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Bernhard Schober
bernhard.schober@boku.ac.at
Project Staff
01.07.2011 - 31.10.2014