JOINT HUNGARIAN-AUSTRIAN FIELD PRACTICE ALONG THE LAJTA/LEITHA RIVER

 

„PLATFORM – Proactive Lajta/Leitha Flood Risk Management” project has received subsidization from the Interreg V-A Austria-Hungary CBC Program (ID:ATHU33). The duration is 01.07.2016-31.12.2018. The EUSDR PA5 “environmental risks” priority area issued a Letter of Recommendation to the project in 2016 during the application phase since the results and aims of the project are fully in line with the PA5 action plan.

In the last decades the joint river basin of the Leitha/Lajta River has been affected by several floods which caused widespread damage in the neighbouring regions of Austria and Hungary. The flood risk in the border region can only be reduced efficiently by transnational and coordinated flood risk management as stipulated in the EU Flood Directive. Common strategic activities are necessary for the adjustment of the safety level to the particular requirements of each of the two countries. The flood propagation of the last 37 km of the Leitha/Lajta river is a complex process where inundations, reservoirs, and several riverbeds are effective. Both countries’ measures influence reciprocally the local conditions. Only coordinated efforts lead to mutual benefits.

The main objective of the project is the implementation of the bilateral Memorandum for strategic flood risk management: support the Austrian-Hungarian Water Commission (AHWC) decision making procedure with necessary investigations and calculations, fix already known problems with direct field measures, involve and exchange information with the local communities, prepare up-to-date plans for the forecasted circumstances with the essential incorporation of the ecological aspects. The integrated solutions really serve the regulations of the EU Flood Directive, Water Framework Directive and Habitat Directive. Furthermore the results fit the demands from the local till the macro-regional level.

On the 25th of April in 2018 the second joint and public field practice of the PLATFORM project was organized near Hegyeshalom in the Austrian-Hungarian border area. The aim was to get the participants acquainted to the structure of the countries’ defence organisational structure and demonstrate some of the active measures. Along the dry side of the primary dike of the Lajta River sandbag reinforcements and counter pressure pools were placed. In the floodplain the different types of machineries for liquidation of oil spills were put on operation (VIKOMA, KOMARA, OXYGÉNIUS) and water sampling took place for in-situ quality testing. From the fast installation equipment of the North Transdanubian Water Directorate the “smaller” water pumps with benzine/diesel engines were transporting water from a point to another with different capacities varying from 4-10 m3/h (Honda WT30/40, membrane). The mobile night-lighting system was demonstrated also with the associated power generators ranging 2-6,5 kW. The quadrocopter drone of the Directorate took several pictures and transmitted on-line video for the defence centre that was re-located by a mobile office-container. The registered number of participants was 185 person, including EUSDR PA5 experts and we can conclude for all of them the event brought additional knowledge.

Established ad-hoc defence-centre in Hegyeshalom next to the Lajta/Leitha river (copyright ÉDUVIZIG)

Work at the mobile office-container (copyright ÉDUVIZIG)

Different machines of oil-spill removal in use (Copyright ÉDUVIZIG)

Rapid in-situ water quality tests of the Lajta/Leitha river

“Smaller” water pumps with benzine/diesel engines were put into operation

Mobile night-lighting system was demonstrated with the associated power generators

Along the dry side of the primary dike of the Lajta River sandbag reinforcements and counter pressure pools were placed (copyright ÉDUVIZIG)

The quadrocopter drone of the Directorate took several pictures and transmitted on-line video for the defence centre (copyright ÉDUVIZIG)