An analysis of hydraulic, environmental and economic impacts of flood polder management at the Elbe River

Flood polders are part of the flood risk management strategy for many lowland rivers. They are used for the controlled storage of flood water so as to lower peak discharges of large floods. Consequently, the flood hazard in adjacent and downstream river reaches is decreased in the case of flood polder utilisation. Flood polders are usually dry storage reservoirs that are typically characterised by agricultural activities or other land use of low economic and ecological vulnerability. The objective of this thesis is to analyse hydraulic, environmental and economic impacts of the utilisation of flood polders in order to draw conclusions for their management. For this purpose, hydrodynamic and water quality modelling as well as an economic vulnerability assessment are employed in two study areas on the Middle Elbe River in Germany. One study area is an existing flood polder system on the tributary Havel, which was put into operation during the Elbe flood in summer 2002. The second study area is a planned flood polder, which is currently in the early planning stages. Furthermore, numerical models of different spatial dimensionality, ranging from zero- to two-dimensional, are applied in order to evaluate their suitability for hydrodynamic and water quality simulations of flood polders in regard to performance and modelling effort. The thesis concludes with overall recommendations on the management of flood polders, including operational schemes and land use. In view of future changes in flood frequency and further increasing values of private and public assets in flood-prone areas, flood polders may be effective and flexible technical flood protection measures that contribute to a successful flood risk management for large lowland rivers.

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Universität Potsdam

Year

2008

Author dc:creator

• Förster, Saskia

Contributors dc:contributor

• Bronstert, Axel

• Flutpolder
• Elbe
• hydrodynamische Simulation
• Wassergütesimulation
• Schadenabschätzung
• Modellkomplexität
• Flood polders
• Elbe River
• hydrodynamic modelling
• water quality modelling
• damage estimation
• model complexity

Statement dc:rights

• Keine öffentliche Lizenz: Unter Urheberrechtsschutz

Repository record source_url

https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/2539

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kobv.de-opus4-uni-potsdam:2539