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Improvements on Flood Alleviation in Germany: Lessons Learned from the Elbe Flood in August 2002

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Abstract

The increase in damage due to natural disasters is directly related to the number of people who live and work in hazardous areas and continuously accumulate assets. Therefore, land use planning authorities have to manage effectively the establishment and development of settlements in flood-prone areas in order to avoid the further increase of vulnerable assets. Germany faced major destruction during the flood in August 2002 in the Elbe and Danube catchments, and many changes have been suggested in the existing German water and planning regulations. This article presents some findings of a “Lessons Learned” study that was carried out in the aftermath of the flood and discusses the following topics: 1) the establishment of comprehensive hazard maps and flood protection concepts, 2) the harmonization of regulations of flood protection at the federal level, 3) the communication of the flood hazard and awareness strategies, and 4) how damage potential can be minimized through measures of area precaution such as resettlement and risk-adapted land use. Although attempts towards a coordinated and harmonized creation of flood hazard maps and concepts have been made, there is still no uniform strategy at all planning levels and for all states (Lae nder) of the Federal Republic of Germany. The development and communication of possible mitigation strategies for “unthinkable extreme events” beyond the common safety level of a 100-year flood are needed. In order to establish a sustainable and integrated flood risk management, interdisciplinary and catchment-based approaches are needed.

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Acknowledgments

This work was part of the Lessons Learned study (DKKV 2003), which was completed by a group of researchers from the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus, and the Disaster Research Unit of the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel. The study was funded by the German Red Cross and coordinated by the German Committee for Disaster Reduction (DKKV). We dedicate special thanks to our interview partners from the authorities in the study areas and to all organizations that provided data.

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  1. Section Engineering Hydrology, GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Telegrafenberg, 14473, Potsdam, Germany

    Theresia Petrow, Annegret H. Thieken, Heidi Kreibich & Bruno Merz

  2. Landesplanung & Landeskunde, Wundtstr. 20, 14059, Berlin, Germany

    Cord Heinrich Bahlburg

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  1. Theresia Petrow
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  2. Annegret H. Thieken
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  5. Cord Heinrich Bahlburg
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Correspondence to Theresia Petrow.

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Petrow, T., Thieken, A.H., Kreibich, H. et al. Improvements on Flood Alleviation in Germany: Lessons Learned from the Elbe Flood in August 2002. Environmental Management 38, 717–732 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-005-6291-4

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