Institute of Meteorology and Water Management Roman Konieczny Flood education and communication on the local level as a base of flood risk reduction Institute of Meteorology and Water Management Roman Konieczny

Flood risk in Poland Big floods and local events Great floods in 1997, 2001, 2010 All floods occurred between 1997 - 2010

Office for Collaboration with Local Government, Institute of Meteorology and Water Management The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) is the research-and-development unit which runs the national hydrology and meteorology service. The Institute gathers and processes hydro-meteorological data, on the basis of which it also prepares warnings concerning threatening natural events, in the form of information, communications and hydrological and meteorological prediction. Office for Collaboration with Local Government – the unit of the Institute focus on cooperation with local communities. The office was involved in realization of many national and international projects in the field of flood management.

Measures of flood risk reduction Flood risk management FLOOD RISK means the combining of probability and negative consequences of floods (Flood directive) Measures of flood risk reduction Hazard Eksposure Vulnerability RISK + Instruments and mechanism stimulating implementation of above measures

Main directions of activity Based on research and practical experience we try to promote three directions of activity: Development of an local flood warning system Improvement of inhabitant knowledge and awareness (trainings, education, cooperation with massmedia) Preparation of flood mitigation plans for small towns, communes etc.

LOCAL FLOOD WARNING SYSTEM Case: Kłodzko Valley Did you receive any warnings in 1997? Local Flood Monitoring System Did they reach you on time?

Local Flood Warning System OSIRIS Project (V FP) Klodzk County: floods in 1997 / 1998, total losses 87 / 28 mln PLN, fatalities 13 / 8. District of Klodzko built local flood monitoring system (40 rain and water gauges) Tools for county crisis management center: Software aiding local center in assessing flood risk and possible consequences of risk Notification system mass telephone notification system to inhabitants (800 persons/hour) Educational program – cooperation with schools, gminas, journalists, NGO. Office for Collaboration with Local Government, IMGW Kraków, Poland

Kędzierzyn-Kożle City Local flood warning systems Local Flood Warning Systems in Poland Staszów District Świdnica District Kraków City Nowa Ruda Commune Tarnów City Kłodzko Dist. Mielec District Kędzierzyn-Kożle City Wroclaw City Jasło District Żywiec District Brzesko Commune

Water level measurement updated every half an hour Access to the rain and water level data Water level measurement updated every half an hour Water level chart Stan alarmowy Stan ostrzegawczy Rain and water level data are available for general public. Updated every half an hour data from approximately 1000 rain and water gauges are presented in internet on the Web Page pogodynka.pl Select the water gauge Select the region Cel Zwrócenie uwagi na najbardziej wiarygodne źródło ostrzeżeń o zagrożeniu powodziowym dla miejscowości i aktualnej sytuacji powodziowej oraz zalecanych sposobach postępowania. Opis Ostrzeżenia o zagrożeniu powodziowym przygotowywane są w Instytucie Meteorologii i Gospodarki Wodnej, który dysponuje siecią pomiarową i obserwacyjną, i na podstawie danych z tej sieci opracowuje prognozy meteorologiczne i hydrologiczne. Przesyłane są one zgodnie z obowiązującymi przepisami do centrów zarządzania kryzysowego odpowiednich urzędów wojewódzkich, które z kolei rozsyłają je do centrów powiatowych, skąd następnie trafiają do gmin. Jak widać droga powiadamiania jest dosyć długa. Zdarza się, że do mieszkańców te ostrzeżenia docierają zbyt późno, by mogli oni uratować swój dobytek. Dlatego coraz częściej samorządy lokalne (gminy i powiaty) budują swoje własne posterunki pomiarowe, by mieć szybszy dostęp do informacji o zagrożeniu. Jednak dostęp do informacji pomiarowej i do prognoz to jedno. Druga sprawa to obowiązująca w Polsce jeszcze ciągle praktyka działania, zgodnie z którą ostrzeżenia wysyłane są do mieszkańców dopiero wtedy, gdy jest już pewność, że powódź jest nieuchronna. Więc zamiast próbować dzwonić co pół godziny do lokalnego centrum kryzysowego, by spytać, czy woda opada, czy raczej się podnosi, można obserwować sytuację przez Internet. IMGW na stronach www.pogodynka.pl umieszcza komunikaty i ostrzeżenia oraz udostępnia dane pomiarowe poziomu wody w rzekach, odświeżając je co pół godziny.

Education programme School competition Task 2 – family evacuation plans Basic assumptions: Let’s touch problems instead of bone up on its Do something practical for others Share collected knowledge and experience with others. Task 1 – historical floods Task 3 – sharing knowledge

Results of the education contest in Brzesko keep the people away from the flood Be familiar with flood (community preparedness) In the contest, the following effects were achieved: Wisła 4 municipalities (local authorities) took part in the contest 12 schools, 22 teachers and 360 students took part in the contest Over 280 families prepared Family Flood Plans About 1500 persons from the area were exposed to flood subject matter.

Cooperation with the media Handbook for crisis management centers Materials for journalists Journalists can pick up the handbook at crisis management centers How to understand and work with the media the causes of catastrophes the possible course they can take institutions and their responsibilities advice to people at risk These publications were prepared on the base of interviews with 12 journalists, 57 crisis managers and analysis of content of 100 press articles and 6 hours of television materials.

Non-stop River Talk summer action of Radio Kraków For 3 months, the program was broadcast from a ship moored to the river bank. The main goal was to draw people’s attention to the river, its role in human life, its benefits and the problems it causes. The program included an exhibition about Kraków’s flood history, discussions with authorities on the future of the river, courses in salsa dancing on the bank of the river, etc.. Thousands of people participated.

Local flood mitigation plan for village Cooperation with inhabitants Pilot program for small village Gorzanów (1000 inhabitants) affected by flood in 1997 when 81 houses were affected. Planning group: residents, volunteers from fire brigades, priest, elected village representatives to local council, teachers, members of Friends of Gorzanow Association etc. Work carried out: Diagnosis of local perception of flood risk (questionnaire) Flood hazard maps (1997) Local warning dissemination system based on volunteers Elements of response plan Educational activity – cooperation with school, local NGO…

Identified local flood issues Did you know that your house is within inundation areas? Channel Residents believe that only structural measures are able to help them. Reservoirs planned for upper Nysa Kłodzka reduce 1% flood in Gorzanów by 0,3 – 0,4 m.

Flood wardens (volunteers) network Flood wardens tasks: Warn neighbours Update phone numbers Disseminate information (leaflets) Advise neighbours how to protect their property Network is under control of local volunteer fire brigade.

Risk communication prevention phase

Thank you for your attention roman.konieczny@imgw.pl