Rising global average temperatures will increase extreme weather events. The September floods in south-western Poland and the hydrological drought are a new reality that we have to face.
The year 2024 in Poland was full of extreme hydrological phenomena. What we remember most is the September floods that affected parts of Central Europe, including southwestern Poland. On September 14, heavy rain fell in our land and quickly filled the local rivers. The first evacuations were also ordered that day in Glucholazy and Mori.
The rain fell continuously for several days, destroying houses and roads and destroying bridges. Within 24 hours, the high water reached other cities: Stronie Slaskie, Ladek-Zdroj and Nisa, causing great damage to each of them. The emergency department of a hospital in Nisa was completely flooded, and there was a problem with electricity in Prudnik. A state of natural disaster was introduced in parts of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.
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Water damaged a temporary bridge in Glucholazi TVN24
In the following days of September, the flood situation did not improve. The water reached other cities of the Oder basin, including the agglomeration of Wrocław. After the great water passed, banks of rubble, asphalt, trash and mud were visible on the streets of the city. As a result of the flood, 9 people died in Poland and 24 people in all of Central Europe.
Klodzko. The second day of the great cleansing began. “It seems as if someone has prepared a place for shooting a horror movie”TVN24
The increase in global temperature will make the weather phenomena more extreme
– The September flood in Poland was a sign of this changing world. Although this is still a very rare phenomenon in our country, it has intensified as a result of climate warming, which has affected it in recent years, said Dr. Sebastian Shklarek, author of the blog “Świat Wody”, ecohydrologist from the European Regional Environmental Center. Polish Academy of Sciences under UNESCO.
According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the average global surface temperature from January to November was the highest in a 175-year record. It was 1.28 degrees higher than the average level of 1901-2000. Last year, the global average temperature was 1.62 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, according to November data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Agency.
Ladek-Zdroj suffered a lot after the flood wave. Excerpt from the report of TVN24 reporter Jan Piotrowski (16/09/2024)TVN24
Dr. Shklarek reminded that the increase in global temperature, in particular, with the increase in the temperature of the ocean and sea waters, will intensify the weather phenomena.
– And if the temperature of the water is high, all the processes related to it and taking place in it become more intense, – says the specialist. A good example of these processes is the September flood in the southern Oder basin. It is caused by a cold low that periodically flows from the southern part of Great Britain towards the Gulf of Genoa. – Usually it gets wet there and moves towards us. Then it hits warm air from Eastern Europe and the moisture turns to rain. But this year, the decrease in climate has been intensified by climate change, because the warmer the water, the more evaporation, and the warmer the air, the more humidity. Therefore, this celebrity can draw more water towards us from the Italian region. And because of this, heavy rains were more than expected, explained the eco-hydrologist.
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Klodzko. The water washed away the car. Recording from September 15 and 17TVN24
Severe flooding
Another characteristic of our region is that torrential rains occur frequently, i.e., within a few hours, the amount of rain is equal to, for example, the rate of a month. Such heavy rainfall causes severe flooding. – If we look at the last years, most cities have faced such incidents. They also have the right to happen, but if we look at history, the frequency of such phenomena is increasing, – noted the eco-hydrologist.
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Lądek Zdrój after the flood. The city will be cleaned (25.09.2024)TVN24
The drought lasted for many months
On the other hand, high temperatures contribute to the opposite phenomenon – drought, which last year, according to the data of the Institute of Agriculture – National Scientific Research Institute, occurred in all of Poland from July 11 to September 10. – Rising temperatures mean that even if it rains, water will evaporate much faster. This factor contributes more to the development of agricultural drought, said the eco-hydrologist. He noted that the wet winter and early spring of 2024 led to the so-called melting of the snow and slightly delayed the drought. But warmer than normal spring months, and especially summer and fall, meant that water “drained significantly” very early.
– We think about evaporation mainly in the summer, because then the temperature rises to 30 degrees. But we pay little attention to the fact that, for example, in winter, when the temperature is positive, water evaporates. Of course, this evaporation is less than in the summer, but as the research shows, the evaporation in the winter increases in percentage compared to the previous years, explained the expert.
The impact of damage to the Topol reservoir in Nysa Klodzka. Parcels under waterSkyDealer
Low water level in the Vistula River
The effect of water evaporation could be seen even by superficial observation of the Vistula water level. In the first half of September, when southern Poland was struggling with floods, the water level of the longest river in Poland reached a record low level. Its lowest amount – 20 centimeters – was recorded at the hydrological station on the Vistula Boulevard in Warsaw.
– What the water meter shows in the Boulevards is a reflection of everything that happens with water in about a quarter of Poland. Everything that flows from the Tatra Mountains, from the Bieszady Mountains to the Vistula, will later be reflected in the event that takes place on the Vistula in Warsaw. The fact that our record levels are low is the result of many small rivers and streams drying up in this part of the country, Dr. Sklarek emphasized.
The eco-hydrologist emphasized that in the face of such phenomena, which are increasing year by year, we must prepare for a new reality. This preparation, despite the training and communication of threats, does not make us optimistic.
– After all, climate models have been telling us which direction the climate is going for years. And we’re seeing the speed with which states and communities are responding to these warnings, Sklarek said.
The lowest water level in the Vistula River in Warsaw is a record. There are problems in other regions of Poland as well. Magda Lutsyan/Fact TVN
In his opinion, we should prepare for the future phenomena with a little “head”. – If we prepare for what is available now, it will soon become insufficient. We should prepare not for the current rainfall, but for double the rainfall, because this is the direction it is headed, – noted the specialist.
However, as Dr. Sklarek reminded us, “slowing down the bullet train” of climate change is not an easy task, because the key is to reduce the burning of fossil fuels that contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases. Otherwise it won’t work. Measures that reduce the negative impact of climate phenomena will be taken a little faster. In the case of flood protection, the best way to solve this problem, according to the environmentalist, is to “stop the water where it falls” – This is also a way to fight drought, because if we stop the water, we We create moisture in the soil. which eliminates both the risk of forest fires and agricultural drought. If we provide water, it will slowly flow underground to the nearest river. This stabilizes the flow of water during periods of no rain, which means that it reduces the risk of lowering the water level in the rivers,” explained Dr. Sklarek.
Low water level in the Vistula River Reiter
Water conservation in the environment
It is much easier to store water in low-lying areas, because its flow is limited by the terrain itself. In addition to the “concreting” of cities, which is talked about a lot, it is enough to deepen areas such as gardens and flower beds, to build basins that store water. – In cities, we usually have lawns above the street level, and it would be enough to eliminate this trend, and we would have large areas that can hold water. It’s more difficult in the mountains, so in some mountain areas the best way to protect cities will be dry polders, areas that can absorb excess rain, Dr. Sklarek said. Suitable solutions can also be used in cities. For example, do not locate basic infrastructure or important institutions on the lower floors of buildings. Use waterproof windows on lower floors. In some cities, rapid barriers are also used, which are placed on the rails on both sides of the street in case of danger. – In this way, a barrier is created that directs water through a given settlement to cause the least damage, protecting key and densely populated areas. Of course, it’s expensive, but you have to calculate whether it’s cheaper than replacing the property that was flooded, Dr. Sklarek emphasized.
Heavy rains and floods are increasing. Experts: greening in cities helps in such cases Martina Olkovic/Fakti po Poludniu TVN24
Klodzko destroyed after flood (25/09/2024)TVN24
Main photo source: PAP/Dariusz Gdesz
