Olomouc is preparing another phase of flood prevention measures on the Morava River

Olomouc – The Olomouc City Hall is preparing the next stage of flood protection measures on the Morava River, the construction of which, according to experts, could start within five years. New flood protection measures are planned in a heritage-protected area, affecting Klášterní Hradisko and the adjacent residential areas. "After the completion of this stage, the protection of Olomouc against heavy flooding will be truly effective," said the spokesperson of the City Hall, Michal Folta, to ČTK.

The upcoming third stage of flood protection measures includes lowering the left bank terrace along the Morava River, raising the dikes near Klášterní Hradisko by about a meter, and adding walls between the Černovír Bridge and the bridge on Komenského Street. A closure dike will be built along the local road from Černovír to Hejčín, which will end at the Mlýnský stream. Builders will also raise the left bank dikes near Černovír that were constructed after the flood in 2006.

The construction of the third stage is conditional on the relocation of large engineering networks as well as the relocation of communication routes in Sokolovská. "It will place high demands on the work of water management and technical professions as well as urban and landscape architects. The third stage will include the revitalization of urban space associated with flood protection measures and design for both active and passive use of the Morava River," stated the mayor, Miroslav Žbánek (ANO), who indicated that the City Hall intends to announce an architectural competition for modifications around the river in connection with this stage.

Builders are currently completing the second stage of flood protection measures in the city center, which involves the construction of two new bridges on Komenského and Masaryk Streets. The first stage in the city center replaced the inadequate bridge near the gasworks in 2007 with two new bridges and created a bypass channel. Following it downstream on the Morava River is the second stage, which expanded the areas around the river. Its direct continuation is the fourth stage in Nové Sady, which has been divided into two parts. The first part is in the permitting phase, while the second is in project preparation. According to Folta, the reason for prioritizing the fourth stage over the third stage was its simpler preparation.

"All the stages built and being prepared so far only have a partial effect regarding the protection of the population. Their purpose was to increase the capacity of the Morava River channel so that it can handle a flood with a flow of 650 cubic meters per second through the city. This is an amount corresponding to a 380-year flood," noted Ludmila Žaláková from the Chief Architect's Department.