Flood prevention developments supported by the New Széchenyi Plan15 January 2013
In the framework of the Environment and Energy Operational Programme (EEOP) between 2007 and 2013 the European Union and Hungary contributed to the protection of Hungary’s flood prevention position and the implementation of the Improvement of the Vásárhelyi Plan (IVP) with HUF 180 billion in support. All funds available for flood prevention in the framework of the New Széchenyi Plan have been successfully committed. Each flood prevention investment has contributed to establishing more favourable environmental conditions in our home country and the daily lives of nearly 3 million people have become safer.
The objective of the Environment and Energy Operational Programme (EEOP) within the New Széchenyi Plan is to facilitate Hungary’s sustainable development by solving tasks related to the environment, environmental protection and water management and by the more efficient and rational use of national resources. The European Union provides assistance for the implementation of the development guidelines set forth so that the healthy, clean and safe environment could be ensured and made available for every citizen of our country.
More than 10%, HUF 180 billion of the total EEOP funding amounting to HUF 1,484 billion could be spent on the establishment of flood reservoirs, on measures targeting the maintenance and improvement of medium and large river runoff conditions and water conveyance capacity and on the infrastructural building and improvement of flood prevention dikes and main flood control systems.
The need for the flood prevention development concept was brought about by Hungary’s flood position. There was practically no successful protection against the fast-moving floods, the existing control systems did not prove to be effective and some settlements have been struck by floods several times in recent years. In the previous period the significant liquid assets, the scale of damage caused, furthermore the psychological and financial burden on the residents all justified the need for urgent and large volume environmental investments.
The main objective of the projects implemented with 100% support intensity in the framework of the schemes “Developments of State-Owned Flood Prevention” and “Developments of Municipal Flood Prevention” was to increase flood safety and reduce flood risks having regard to the recommendations of the best practices in flood prevention.
In the framework of the New Széchenyi Plan for the purpose of increasing flood safety flood control reservoirs were built in several locations (Nagykunság, Hanyi-Tiszasüly, Bereg, Szamos-Kraszna). The Hanyi-Tiszasüly reservoirs are able to drain 1.5 billion cubic metres of water and as a result lower the water level by one metre. Recently more flood prevention investments have also been completed in the Hernád Valley, such as the building of flood control dams in Hernádkércs, Nagykinizs, Szentistvánbaksa, Felsődobsza and Hernádkak settlements.
The developments by the New Széchenyi Plan contribute to the improvement of Hungary’s environmental and flood prevention positions and last but not least to the environmental education. More information about the completed projects, the closed calls for tenders and
the EEOP itself is available at www.nfu.hu or at www.nkek.hu.
Source: National Environmental Protection and Energy Centre Non Profit Ltd.