From Tragedy to Heritage: Retrospective Overview of the Bílá Desná Dam Collapse

From Tragedy to Heritage: Retrospective Overview of the Bílá Desná Dam Collapse

Článek WoS

Nearly 110 years ago, the collapse of the Bílá Desná dam occurred on September 18, 1916 in the present-day Czech Republic, resulting in the tragic loss of 67 lives and extensive material damage, making it the most catastrophic dam failure in Europe. The precise causes of the disaster have not been fully understood. Much of the information regarding the conception of the dam, design, construction, and failure is dispersed across various reports and brief communications, primarily in Czech and German. This study consolidates and analyzes all available data related to the Bílá Desná dam, encompassing its conception, design, construction, failure, and the subsequent response. A comprehensive chronological account of key events in the history of the dam has been compiled. The study presents an overview of the critical factors that contributed to the dam failure, evaluating their significance using contemporary analytical techniques, including digital terrain modeling and current best practices in state-of-the-art dam engineering. Additionally, the research examines the efforts proposed to restore the Bílá Desná dam and highlights the lessons learned from this historic tragedy. Furthermore, the current state of the dam site, being a national heritage site, is briefly documented.

Nearly 110 years ago, the collapse of the Bílá Desná dam occurred on September 18, 1916 in the present-day Czech Republic, resulting in the tragic loss of 67 lives and extensive material damage, making it the most catastrophic dam failure in Europe. The precise causes of the disaster have not been fully understood. Much of the information regarding the conception of the dam, design, construction, and failure is dispersed across various reports and brief communications, primarily in Czech and German. This study consolidates and analyzes all available data related to the Bílá Desná dam, encompassing its conception, design, construction, failure, and the subsequent response. A comprehensive chronological account of key events in the history of the dam has been compiled. The study presents an overview of the critical factors that contributed to the dam failure, evaluating their significance using contemporary analytical techniques, including digital terrain modeling and current best practices in state-of-the-art dam engineering. Additionally, the research examines the efforts proposed to restore the Bílá Desná dam and highlights the lessons learned from this historic tragedy. Furthermore, the current state of the dam site, being a national heritage site, is briefly documented.

Breach; bílá desná; dam; lessons learned; national cultural heritage of Czechia

Breach; bílá desná; dam; lessons learned; national cultural heritage of Czechia

KOTAŠKA, S.; ŘÍHA, J.

08.09.2025

International Journal of Architectural Heritage

08 Sep 2025

Spojené státy americké

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https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15583058.2025.2558201

http://hdl.handle.net/