Proactive Lajta/Leitha Flood Risk Management

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In the last decades the joint river basin of the Leitha/Lajta River has been affected by several floods which caused widespread damage in the neighbouring regions of Austria and Hungary. The flood risk in the border region can only be reduced efficiently by transnational and coordinated flood risk management as stipulated in the EU Flood Directive. The necessary basic information, preliminary flood routing calculations and possible measures have been elaborated within the former "Ceframe" project and a bilateral Memorandum was signed with recommendations for future cooperation. Since the APSFR areas are not aligned at the border in this area, further common strategic activities are necessary for the adjustment of the safety level to the particular requirements of each of the two countries. The flood propagation of the last 37 km of the Leitha/Lajta river is a complex process where inundations, reservoirs, and several riverbeds are effective. Both countries' measures influence reciprocally the local conditions. Only coordinated efforts lead to mutual benefits. The main objective of the project is the implementation of the bilateral Memorandum for strategic flood risk management: support the Austrian-Hungarian Water Commission (AHWC) decision making procedure with necessary investigations and calculations, fix already known problems with direct field measures, involve and exchange information with the local communities, prepare up-to-date plans for the forecasted circumstances with the essential incorporation of the ecological aspects. It is a unique opportunity to establish a tangible international flood risk management strategy, where the integrated solutions really serve the regulations of the EU Flood Directive, Water Framework Directive and Habitat Directive. Furthermore the results fit the demands from the local till the macro-regional level.

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