Brno's flood plans are due for an update, with analysis from Brno University of Technology also helping

Tomorrow marks one year since the start of last year’s floods, which affected most of the Czech Republic. The worst situation occurred in the Moravian-Silesian and Olomouc regions, but Brno was also at risk. The city therefore decided to update its flood protection measures, with adjustments prepared in cooperation with experts from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at Brno University of Technology.

Based on the experience and findings from last year, Brno councillors decided to update the city’s digital flood plans, thereby strengthening its flood protection. One of the three steps contributing to this goal was the development of the Study of Flood Protection Measures in the Territory of the City of Brno, prepared by the Institute of Water Structures at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, BUT. “Currently we have the Brno City Flood Model, which can simulate and assess flood hazards. However, it turned out that some locations require more detailed analysis,” explained Filip Chvátal, Brno’s Deputy Mayor for the Environment.

The prepared study will serve as an initial basis for updating the digital flood plan of the City of Brno and the flood plans of twenty-two Brno city districts. “Its main benefit is the identification of critical sections where flooding from the Svitava and Svratka rivers is a threat,” said Aleš Dráb, Head of the Institute of Water Structures, who worked on the document together with colleague David Duchan and students Tereza Žiaková and Tomáš Bartůněk.

Experts identified nearly fifty risk locations. “We recommend assessing local conditions, including the possible influence of the sewer network, and deciding on the possibility of installing mobile flood protection measures,” added Dráb, noting that positively evaluated sections can be reflected in the update of flood plans.

When preparing the study, researchers worked with topographic data, hydrological information, as well as the current flood model of Brno and existing flood plans. “The flood model is an effective tool for simulating and assessing flood hazards. Experience from last year’s floods showed, for example, that calculations can be supplemented with additional flood scenarios that may occur in Brno, thus enabling more detailed planning of rescue operations. In addition, the outputs can be used for training members of flood commissions, other participants in flood protection, and the general public,” concluded Dráb.

At the Institute of Water Structures, researchers are also engaged in other projects aimed at strengthening flood protection. These include, for example, a comprehensive project evaluating the 2024 floods, a flood protection project in Rajhradice near Brno, or the simulation of flood discharges for streams in the Morava River basin.

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