DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7509-904-4-0336

THE ROLE OF WETLANDS IN FLOOD PROTECTION PROCESSES IN THE LANDSCAPE – CASE STUDY

Marián Dobranský, Peter Bujanský, Gao Zhenjun

In the past, in Slovakia, from the point of view of flood protection, riverbeds were modified with technical elements. The most common solution was the so-called channelization of the riverbed. This modification of the channel straightening, removed the natural meanders of the river, increased the longitudinal slope of the riverbed, and accelerated the outflow from the threatened area. Nowadays, from the point of view of water retention in the country, only the revitalization of riverbeds may not be sufficient to achieve water management during droughts, but also during floods. The design of wetlands in the territory of old, historical, and forgotten riverbeds can create a system for retaining water in nature, thanks to the regulated flood wave, regulation of the inflow and outflow of water from the wetland to existing as well as restored branches of a river. Wetlands, as a valuable ecosystem, can also have recreational and educational value for the wider public, either in the form of touristeducational trails, lookout towers with the aim of observing bird territories or as part of cycling tracks.

Keywords: flood defence measures, flood hazard map, revitalization, recreation, Slovakia

pages: 336-339, Published: 2023, online: 2023