Flood Perception from Local Perspective of Rural Community vs. Geomorphological Control of Fluvial Processes in Large Alluvial Valley (the Middle Vistula River, Poland)
The origin and dynamics of a 2010 pluvial flood in the valley of a large European river are described. In order to study how local people perceive this catastrophic event a small administrative unit (rural municipality) within the Holocene floodplain (thus flooded to 90%) was chosen. Using a questio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Hydrology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/10/10/191 |
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| author | Daria Wiesława Krasiewicz Grzegorz Wierzbicki |
| author_facet | Daria Wiesława Krasiewicz Grzegorz Wierzbicki |
| author_sort | Daria Wiesława Krasiewicz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The origin and dynamics of a 2010 pluvial flood in the valley of a large European river are described. In order to study how local people perceive this catastrophic event a small administrative unit (rural municipality) within the Holocene floodplain (thus flooded to 90%) was chosen. Using a questionnaire a human-research survey was performed in the field among 287 people living in flood-prone areas. Almost half of the interviewees feel safe and do not expect a flood recurrence (interpreted as a levee effect). Seventeen percent believe the levee was intentionally breached due to political issues. Six percent of interviewees link the breach with small mammals using levees as a habitat, e.g., beavers, moles, and foxes. The sex and age of interviewees are related to these opinions. Most interviewees (39%) think that flooding was a result of embankment (dyke) instability. The spatial distribution of the survey results are analyzed. Maps presenting: inundation height, economic loss, attitude to geohazards and perception of possible flood recurrence were drawn. Causes of the flood as viewed by local inhabitants and in the context of the riverine geological setting and its processes are discussed. Particular attention is paid to processes linking the levee breach location with specific geomorphic features of the Holocene floodplain. A wide perspective of fluvial geomorphology where erosive landforms of crevasse channels (and associated depositional crevasse splays) are indicators of geohazards was adopted. This distinct geomorphological imprint left by overbank flow is considered a natural flood mark. Such an approach is completely neglected by interviewees who overestimate the role of hydrotechnical structures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:12:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-37411c8ce9e7485aa89ff7157cc51c32 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-5338 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:12:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hydrology |
| spelling | doaj.art-37411c8ce9e7485aa89ff7157cc51c322023-11-19T16:40:14ZengMDPI AGHydrology2306-53382023-09-01101019110.3390/hydrology10100191Flood Perception from Local Perspective of Rural Community vs. Geomorphological Control of Fluvial Processes in Large Alluvial Valley (the Middle Vistula River, Poland)Daria Wiesława Krasiewicz0Grzegorz Wierzbicki1Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Water Engineering and Applied Geology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, PolandThe origin and dynamics of a 2010 pluvial flood in the valley of a large European river are described. In order to study how local people perceive this catastrophic event a small administrative unit (rural municipality) within the Holocene floodplain (thus flooded to 90%) was chosen. Using a questionnaire a human-research survey was performed in the field among 287 people living in flood-prone areas. Almost half of the interviewees feel safe and do not expect a flood recurrence (interpreted as a levee effect). Seventeen percent believe the levee was intentionally breached due to political issues. Six percent of interviewees link the breach with small mammals using levees as a habitat, e.g., beavers, moles, and foxes. The sex and age of interviewees are related to these opinions. Most interviewees (39%) think that flooding was a result of embankment (dyke) instability. The spatial distribution of the survey results are analyzed. Maps presenting: inundation height, economic loss, attitude to geohazards and perception of possible flood recurrence were drawn. Causes of the flood as viewed by local inhabitants and in the context of the riverine geological setting and its processes are discussed. Particular attention is paid to processes linking the levee breach location with specific geomorphic features of the Holocene floodplain. A wide perspective of fluvial geomorphology where erosive landforms of crevasse channels (and associated depositional crevasse splays) are indicators of geohazards was adopted. This distinct geomorphological imprint left by overbank flow is considered a natural flood mark. Such an approach is completely neglected by interviewees who overestimate the role of hydrotechnical structures.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/10/10/191sense of placeflood protection dikeflood collective memorysuballuvial bedrock protrusionflood vulnerability |
| spellingShingle | Daria Wiesława Krasiewicz Grzegorz Wierzbicki Flood Perception from Local Perspective of Rural Community vs. Geomorphological Control of Fluvial Processes in Large Alluvial Valley (the Middle Vistula River, Poland) Hydrology sense of place flood protection dike flood collective memory suballuvial bedrock protrusion flood vulnerability |
| title | Flood Perception from Local Perspective of Rural Community vs. Geomorphological Control of Fluvial Processes in Large Alluvial Valley (the Middle Vistula River, Poland) |
| title_full | Flood Perception from Local Perspective of Rural Community vs. Geomorphological Control of Fluvial Processes in Large Alluvial Valley (the Middle Vistula River, Poland) |
| title_fullStr | Flood Perception from Local Perspective of Rural Community vs. Geomorphological Control of Fluvial Processes in Large Alluvial Valley (the Middle Vistula River, Poland) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flood Perception from Local Perspective of Rural Community vs. Geomorphological Control of Fluvial Processes in Large Alluvial Valley (the Middle Vistula River, Poland) |
| title_short | Flood Perception from Local Perspective of Rural Community vs. Geomorphological Control of Fluvial Processes in Large Alluvial Valley (the Middle Vistula River, Poland) |
| title_sort | flood perception from local perspective of rural community vs geomorphological control of fluvial processes in large alluvial valley the middle vistula river poland |
| topic | sense of place flood protection dike flood collective memory suballuvial bedrock protrusion flood vulnerability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/10/10/191 |
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