Urbanisation and climate change have significant impact on disturbing water balance in catchments. Uncontrolled urban development, increased land surface sealing, and ncreasingly appearing heavy rainfall cause local inundations called rban flooding. Rational catchment water management necessitate that a new approach to the problem of flooding be introduced that includes the human factor. Greater emphasis should be placed on local management of rainfall water within tchment, especially in urban areas. What is more, it is of utmost importance to provide efficient legal system and o-operation of various authorities and decision-makers in terms of urban land use management. The present article reviews different courses of actions taken in order to improve reasonable water management in the USA, Europe, and Poland in face of climate change and urbanization that cause flooding. ...
The study involves a preliminary analysis of short-duration high-intensity rainfall events in the area of Cracow. The events were selected from a 2-year data record from the MPWiK (Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Wodociągów i Kanalizacji [Municipal Water and Sewage Company]) in Cracow. A spatial analysis was carried out by comparing rainfall events with highest single totals which occurred at the same time at all observed precipitation stations. Extracted were nine cases from the data record of 2013 and ten from the data record of 2014. Each of the analysed events was classified according to the Chomicz scale for rainfall intensity in order to distinguish maximum rainfalls, in particular of the following types: heavy rainfalls, rainstorms and torrential rains. Additionally, observed were cases of the most unfavourable rainfall events, i.e. ones with the highest totals in the observed year. In both 2013 and 2014, certain areas in Cracow were observed to be characterised by a pattern of repeating rainfall types. Also, a change in the rainfall category was observed from lower into higher and reverse in certain areas represented by the same gauging stations. At the stations located in varying distances within one urban area of Cracow, the intensity of rainfall varied from ...
The experience of flooding from 2010 in the Commune of Spytkowice showed a dire need to define the factors behind the floods repeating every year in the region and to propose the best solutions for eliminating or limiting damage in the risk area. On account of the catchment's location in mountainous area, the main intention was to propose actions that would mainly increase the catchment retention capacity in the upper reach of the Skawa river and its tributary, Pożoga. By slowing down the flow, these actions may considerably contribute to the protection of the most flood-sensitive areas located in the lower part of the catchment. Two solutions have been proposed based on the idea of building dry water reservoirs and providing the possibility to resettle inhabitants from the flooded area. The choice of the best solution for the Commune of Spytkowice depends on the topography of the valleys of rivers Skawa and Pożoga, as well as the financial situation concerning the project. ...
