Danube river basin/floods Flashcards
(19 cards)
where is the Danube basin
covers 1/3 of continental Europe, outside of Russia
- extends over 18 countrues
- the most international river basin in the world
- Danube river crosses 10 countries
where does the Danube flow from?
Flows over 2.8k km from Germany’s Black Forest to the Romanian and Ukrainian Danube delta on the shores of the Black Sea
what’s the Danube a symbol of and why
The European commission recognises the Danube as the ‘single most important non-oceanic body of water in Europe
- A symbol of European unity and cooperation
characteristics of the Danube
- subject to both floods and droughts
- home to diverse wildlife; otters, large birds etc.
- serves as a vital energy source and transportation artery for goods and people
general impacts of drought on river
Drought- water levels drop- affecting navigation, power generation and water supply for agriculture and drinking
- can lead to a deterioration of water quality, due to higher concentration of pollutants and reduced dilution of wastewater.
in what years were there major floods in the basin?
2002 and 2013
- resulting in extensive damage
Cause of 2012 drought
caused by low rainfall and high temps combination - reduced water levels in rivers and lakes- increased water demand from agriculture and industry
What does climate change expect to do ? How can this be managed?
- climate change is expected to exacerbate frequency and intensity of floods and droughts in the basin
- countries in the region will benefit from collaborating to develop strategies for managing water resource and reducing risks.
e.g- early warning systems, implementing flood and drought resilience measures and promoting sustainable water use practises.
the upper Danube
- Near the casparian mountains near Bratislava, Slovakia
- high flow velocities and low temps
- influenced by a glacial- naval flow regime
- In comparison to other sections, is highly altered by dams, navigation channels and bank constructions for flood protection
what’s the average annual discharge if the upper Danube
around 1.7k m3/s
Cause of the Danube floods in 2024
- countries particularly affected
A near-stationary low pressure system caused continuous rainfall across Central Europe from 12th September
- particularly affecting; Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Austria, hUNGARY, Slovenia, Romania, Italy, Croatia
how much economic loss in 2024 floods
2-3 billion (in euros)
How many people died in storm Boris in 2024
at least 24
- Inundation and damage to homes, businesses, vehicles, infrastructure and agriculture
what collapsed in Poland in 2024 floods/storm?
impacts of this
collapse of a reservoir in poland- Stronie Slonskie- flooded entire town (Nysa, Poland)- risk along water sources
- river Wien, Austria, overflowed
- ## damage to metro systems in Vienna
How many soldiers deployed to Poland
how many evacuated from Nysa
over 5k- to help people in southern Poland
- 40k evacuated from Nysa
How many evacuated in Czechia
15,000 people
