Damaging flood prevention measures

Abstract

For a long time there have been damaging flood prevention measures, mainly statutory. They appear to be little used or ineffective. One explanation is the lack of understanding of the events involved and lack of tools to be used in negotiations. This situation also obtains because preventive measures are applied in a very difficult socio-economic situation where land-ownership issues are involved. To make progress and resolve the current deadlock, it is important to use new models for analysing hydrological information and powerful hydraulic equipment to keep everyone continuously informed. New concepts are then derived which permit requirements to be expressed in various ways and to be treated objectively with regard to the flood hazards. They also enable all the interlocking considerations to be drawn together to help and support negotiations. These new approaches could make a qualitative step forward in prevention. Moreover, as they are linked structurally with flood volumes management, this would move flood damage prevention nearer to in tegrated continental water management, a goal for the future which is of considerable economic interest.