New Water Policy and Practice Volume 1, Number 2 - Spring 2015 | Page 61

Integrated Flood Risk Management, Lessons from the Rhine and Danube for South Asia

During the next decade, tension and conflict over water is likely to become
more frequent, endangering stability and security in many parts of the world,
potentially having a direct impact on European interests as well as international peace
and security. As Europe has a long tradition of cooperation and vast experience and
knowledge of managing transboundary rivers, there is the potential for knowledge
and expertise in flood risk management to be transferred to the South Asian region
with the objective to promote collaboration, and encourage regional and international
cooperation.

Integrated Flood Management

T

raditionally, flood management focused on draining floodwater as quickly
as possible or storing it temporarily, in addition to separating the river from
populations through structural measures, such as dams and levees; all with not
thought to the consequences of upstream and downstream flood risks. Specifically,
actions to manage flooding consisted of local flood prevention schemes involving
concrete and other engineered defences such as dams, dykes and weirs that had little
regard for health of the surrounding catchment. However, engineered solutions can
have negative effects on water quality and quantity as natural water flow is disrupted.
In many regions of the world including Europe and South Asia, the biodiversity of
freshwater has suffered due to major physical changes in the rivers, lakes, and wetlands
from flood management practices including straightening of rivers, dredging of rivers,
and construction of levees. Flood plains provide key ecosystem services including
water retention and prevention of soil erosion. Intact floodplains play an important
role in alleviating floods by storing water and releasing it slowly back into streams and
rivers. Man-made flood defences can also increase the vulnerability of communities
to other man-made or natural disasters such as earthquakes.

In Integrated Flood Management land and water resources in river basins are
developed in order to maximize the efficient use of floodplains and to minimize loss o