Investment in flood prevention

The impulse for building a modern flood protection system were the extreme floods, which struck Moravia in 1997 (about 60 people died and damages exceeded CZK 63 billion) and Prague five years later (16 people died and damages exceeded CZK 75 billion).

Programme stage I: 2002–2007 

The „Flood Prevention Programme I“ was focused on the territory struck by the floods in 1997 on Morava, Odra and Upper Labe. By the end of 2007, 435 flood protection measures had been built along the rivers and their surroundings, which now protect 315 000 people and assets worth CZK 240 billion. Financial resources in excess of CZK 4 billion were spent on this programme stage.

Programme stage II: 2007–2013 

The aim of the “Flood Prevention Programme II” was primarily to construct technical measures along the watercourses, increasement of the retention of water bodies and strengthen the safety of waterworks, for example on Vltava, Ohře, Tichá Orlice and Morava river. Under the terms of “Flood prevention programme II” were carried out 549 activities by the end of 2014, of which 379 flood protection measures were built and 170 studies on floodplains and project documentation were processed, for which over CZK 10 billion was provided. In all, over CZK 11.5 billion was spent to increase the protection of more than 466 000 inhabitants.

Programme stage III: 2014–2020

The priority of current “Flood Prevention Programe III” are those measures to ensure a decrease the runoff from sub-basins and an increase of the landscape’s ability to water retention. Currently the estimated financial resources of the state budget are CZK 4.6 billion.