floods

Water

Floods - how they form and how we influence them

Flooded elbe river near Dessau

Floods are natural events, they form on a regular basis and are an integral part of the water cycle. The occurrence of floods depends on the strength of precipitation, the characteristics of the catchment area and the morphology of the river itself. Humans can influence and intensify floods, their course and effects. read more

Water

Identifying and managing flood risks

Comprehensive and river basin-wide management is needed to deal with floods.

Managing the hazards and risks posed by floods includes precautionary measures, preparation for a flood, hazard prevention during an event and post-event management, including reconstruction. The uniform application of flood risk management has been ensured in the EU-Flood Risk Management Directive since 2007. read more

The Umweltbundesamt

For our environment