When flood occurs, safe drainage from the affected area is often dependent on the state of culverts and small bridges. These objects are often jammed by debris and thus cause local flooding. Often, the object itself is also damaged and as a result the traffic route is interrupted. Appropriate design in terms of capacity and…
Permanent grassing or establishing of perennial vegetative cover of vineyards, hop gardens, and orchards reduces runoff and erosion. Vegetation controls erosion by protecting soil from displacement by raindrop impacts and by reducing the velocity and quantity of surface runoff. The measure should be accompanied by other linear biotechnological measures (e.g. ditches) and be implemented especially…
Small (unsealed) roads within forests and on farmland often cause surface runoff and erosion or they are damaged themselves in case of heavy rain. Furthermore, the road density can have a decisive influence on the water drainage of larger areas. Existing road network within forests and on farmland should be checked for its necessity and…
Surface runoff at meadows and pastures is attenuated compared to land under arable crops. Thus, a high proportion of meadows and pastures increases the retention capacity of agricultural used land and reduces the surface runoff. Therefore, the preservation of existing meadows against cultivation of crops or building activities especially in head water areas, on slopes,…
Ditches allow intercepting, infiltrating and alternatively draining the surface runoff without causing damage. They should be dimensioned to the corresponding return period of the discharge, meet functional requirements and get regular control and maintenance. Ditches on farmland are usually proposed in areas where the space for constructing furrows is limited. Within urban areas they are…
Identifying and re-establishing of flood plains and deposition areas, such as by removal of protection structures for agricultural land, contributes to the retention of water along rivers and, thus, to heavy rain risk reduction. In the past, most floodplains have been taken over for other uses; former floodplain forests are separated from river and runoff…
