Dynamic Flood Retention: principle and guidelines

Abstract

Integrated Flood Management at catchment scale is the current paradigm. Dynamic Flood Retention is a relevant principle for its requirements, by mitigating floods wherever suitable opportunities exist on the catchment. It reduces the need for protection measures, which impair river ecosystems, like levees and river training. This paper advocates the need for a risk diagnosis to set reasonable objectives for hazard mitigation over the catchment. Then, Dynamic Flood Retention techniques with a measurable and significant effect on floods are described. Finally, guidelines are proposed to implement them at catchment scale when economically relevant. A first set of guidelines is devoted to efficiency assessment, and a second one to project management, with a focus on specifications drafting.