GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA NATIONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS

Transcription

1 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS RS 1/49 GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA NATIONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS VERSION 3.0 AUTHORITY DATE PERSON RESPONSIBLE DRAFTED BY ACPDR 9. April BOJAN ŽMAVC 2004 DISCUSSED BY CP STAFF 6. April MIRAN BOGATAJ 2004 ADOPTED BY GOVERNMENT OF THE RS CUSTODIAN ACPDR _ Planning Department

2 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS RS 2/49 1 FLOODS Introduction General Information on Potential Risk of Flooding in Slovenia Surface Watercourse Characteristics in Slovenia Flood Areas in Slovenia Impact of Floods on People, Buildings and the Environment Probability of a Chain-Reaction Accident Conclusions SCOPE OF PLANNING Basic levels of planning Protection, rescue and relief principles CONCEPT OF PROTECTION, RESCUE AND RELIEF Basic Premises of the National Plan Protection and Rescue Operation Concept Use of the plan UNITS, FACILITIES AND RESOURCES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN Overview of authorities and organisations responsible for tasks under state authority Material and technical assets required by the plan Financial resources planned for the implementation of the plan MONITORING, NOTIFYING AND WARNING Monitoring and Notifying Monitoring the Threat of Flooding Notifying and Alerting Competent National Authorities Warning and Informing the Public Notifying other countries and international organisations MOBILISATION OF UNITS AND RESOURCES Mobilisation of Authorities and their Expert services Mobilisation of National Protection, Rescue and Relief Units Provision of Material and Financial Aid International Aid ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT Responsible authorities and their tasks Operational Management Organisation of communications PROTECTION, RESCUE AND RELIEF MEASURES AND TASKS Protection and Rescue Measures Protection, Rescue and Relief Tasks PERSONAL AND MUTUAL PROTECTION EVALUATION OF DAMAGE DEFINITION AND INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND ABREVIATIONS LIST OF ATTACHMENTS AND APPENDICES... 47

3 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 3/49 1 FLOODS 1.1. Introduction The Emergency Response Plan in the Event of Floods Version 3.0 is an updated version of the same plan prepared by the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (ACPDR) in It has been drawn up on the basis of the Protection Against Natural and Other Disasters Act (Ur. l. RS, No 64/94, 33/00 and 87/01) and harmonised with the Decree on the contents and drawing up of protection and rescue plans (Ur. L. RS, No /02 and 17/02) and other regulations. Floods are natural phenomena caused by extreme atmospheric precipitation or rapid melting of snow and the mutual interaction of these two events. Floods may also occur as a consequence of impoundments on Karst fields or those caused by snow or land slides, the activity of torrents, natural subsidence (barje) or effects resulting from economic activities (mining), a simultaneous occurrence of atmospheric precipitation and snow melting on frozen ground, an elevation of the level of ground water, or due to very high tides. Furthermore, human intervention into nature has been contributing, more and more, to the occurrence of floods. A combination of excessive atmospheric precipitation and melting of snow usually causes extensive floods, as local storms do when they cover a surface area of 50 to 100 km 2 and cause the type of flooding known as flash floods General Information on Potential Risk of Flooding in Slovenia Floods and larger floods are among the dominant forces of transformation of natural and geographic features in lowland and flatland areas. They are natural agents which, considering varied levels of technological development, may also directly influence the intended spatial planning and land use. Floods typically do not happen instantaneously (except when a water dam is destroyed, but such a case is not dealt with in this plan) and therefore do not come as a complete surprise, so they can be considered a gradual natural phenomenon. When they occur, there is, as a rule, still enough time to save lives; however, a greater direct threat is created by torrential outbreaks that evolve as mudflows. When structures built to protect against floods break down, it may well happen that a sudden flood wave emerges and causes the loss of human life. In Slovenia, floods usually occur due to substantial precipitation. Depending on soil moisture, precipitation may cause a greater or lesser outflow of water, gathering into watercourses, and such an increased rate of water flow leads to raised levels in water beds. In this way, short-term torrential flooding, lasting several hours, may emerge, with the exception of the region along the Drava and Mura rivers, where these floods can last for several days. The

4 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 4/49 entire phenomenon of the collection and runoff of water is accompanied by erosion. In the case of normal annual phenomena, these processes are less intense, but occasionally serious flooding occurs, especially when concurrent with the following conditions: extremely abundant and long-lasting precipitation, considerable prior soil moisture, and precipitation over snow cover, causing it to melt, and the ensuing rapid surface runoff. Floods may be divided into many categories, although the common factor in all of them is their dependence on the watercourse flow rate. The science of hydrology classifies flow rates by means of statistical calculation methods, according to the probable appearance of high water. The system is based on the fact that minor floods, caused by the occurrence of less extensive high waters, are quite common, while floods of catastrophic proportions and involving great damage happen at longer intervals. Floods can be differentiated on the basis of: - the type of watercourse (mountain, valley, flatland), - land surface relief (terraces, depressions) and the scale of flooding, - the intensity and extensiveness of precipitation, - the season (autumn, spring floods), - the type of high-water surge, - the duration of flooding, - the frequency of flooding (e.g. 20-year floods), and - the type of soil and the nature of flood-affected engineered structures. The human race has played an important role in the development of present-day floods. Deforestation, land cultivation, approximately 6,000 smaller and larger settlements, numerous isolated farms (on approx. 55,500 ha of the surface area), airports, and the dense road and railway network (on approx. 12,500 ha of surface area) have all drastically changed water and flooding conditions. This has primarily accelerated and increased the runoff of rainwater, in addition to greater soil and linear erosion. Consequently, upper parts of torrent gorges have thus heavily deepened their torrent beds and numerous new gutters, dissecting the slopes, have emerged. During storms, numerous cart tracks deeply embedded in the ground and either abandoned or still active, eroded roads and various paths change into true torrents, which leads to even further erosion. These events are also linked to numerous avalanches and slumps, which sweep away huge quantities of soil towards valleys, where they turn into piles of soil. Thus, the level of valley beds has been raised and floods have begun to threaten settled areas where floods were hitherto unknown. Human activity has further contributed to these elevated valley beds through the construction of embankments for railways, roads, bridges with too narrow culverts, and numerous dams behind which flooding water stops and deposits the material it carries along. A special kind of flood, typical for the Karst area in Slovenia, is termed Karst flood. Such floods occur on Karst fields when the water inflow to the field exceeds the capacity of the underground outflow of water through gullets. The characteristics of Karst flooding may be described as follows: - predictable occurrence limited mostly to autumn and spring seasons, - both the level and scope of flooding are known, - flooding may last a considerable time, - there is no ground damage due to erosion,

5 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 5/49 - it causes karstification and erosion of fertile soil into the subsurface, and - the flood waters contain very little suspended mineral sediment so that the mud-depositing process is barely discernible. Karst floods can also have catastrophic dimensions due to the high saturation of Karst subsurface and plugging of gullets; however, this impact has not yet been fully researched. In some regions, Karst and non-karst floods intertwine with each other. In Slovenia, over 300,000 hectares of surface area, or as much as 15% of the country's territory, face the risk of flooding. This risk is mostly limited to narrow valley beds along torrent gorges (about 237,000 ha) and to 30 extensive flood regions in wider parts of valleys, along the sea coast and in Karst fields. The risk of flooding depends on: the flood wave level, potentially resulting in casualties due to drowning, damage as a result of the inundation of property and numerous cases of moisture saturation, additional load on structures with the resulting hydrostatic pressure, as well as inaccessibility of the affected area; the water flow rate, which washes away drowning victims and goods, creates an additional load on structures as a result of hydrostatic pressure, as well as rendering the affected area inaccessible; pollution, spreading from flooded sources of pollution and the sewage system; erosion of the bottom and banks of the river bed, undermining the foundations of engineered structures so as to cause their demolishment and washing away; soil erosion and the modification of river bed morphology, washing away property and riverine vegetation; depositing of sediment such as sludge, which considerably increases damage to property, and leads to higher dynamic pressure and destructive power of the water; polluted sediment pollutes the environment; barren deposits decrease soil fertility and relief morphology; and duration of floods, causing, if the flooding lasts for several days, destroyed crops, increased penetration of moisture into structures and installations, while soaked embankments begin to leak or even break down, thus increasing protection and rescue costs. The water runoff regime manifests itself in the form of high-water waves, which are steeper today and have a shorter sequence of rise and recession in streamflow. The basic reason for this lies in human interventions in the natural environment (excessive cutting of forests, land regulation, urbanisation), all of which have increased the conveyance of watercourses and reduced natural flood-restraining surfaces along watercourses. Flood hazards in flood-prone areas are closely related to utilisation: where floods are a regular phenomenon, we can, even today, still find pastures, meadows and groves that are apparently the most economical form of land utilisation in such circumstances.

6 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 6/ Surface Watercourse Characteristics in Slovenia Aquatic areas The greatest number of settlements appear in areas along the borderline between plains and hilly areas or hills; on plains, the most important borderline is that between the flood-prone area and the area that is not prone to flooding. Construction in flood-prone areas is no longer uncommon; in the Krška Basin alone, for example, there are 150 flatland settlements, of which as many as 66 (44%) border on areas with normal floods, and an additional 44 on high or highest flood areas. Water resource management is implemented in two aquatic areas, namely in the Donava and Adriatic Sea aquatic areas. According to the Decree on the concession for performing mandatory public utility services in the field of water management (Ur. l. RS, No 42/03), these public services perform their activities in eight areas. Operational remit of public services A. The Sava River basin The Sava basin is divided into: 1. The upper Sava River, consisting of the Sava basin with its tributaries from the Sava Dolinka and the Sava Bohinjka sources to the confluence with the Sora River and including the Sora itself 2. The central Sava River, consisting of the Sava River basin with its tributaries from the confluence with the Sora to the confluence with the Savinja River, excluding the Savinja itself, and the part of the Kolpa River basin from its source to the confluence with the Dolski tributary 3. The Savinja area, consisting of the Savinja basin and its tributaries, including the part of the Sotla River basin from its source to the confluence with the Bistrica River, and 4. the lower Sava River, consisting of the Sava basin with its tributaries from the confluence with the Savinja with all its tributaries to the border with Croatia, including the part of the Kolpa basin from the confluence with the Dolski tributary to the border with Croatia and the part of the Sotla from the confluence with the Bistrica to the border with Croatia. B. Drava River basin 1. Drava River 1, from the state border at Vič to the dam in Melje (Maribor) 2. Drava River 2, from the dam in Melje to the border with the Republic of Croatia below Središče 3. Pesnica River 4. Meža River with the Mislinja River 5. Polskava River 6. Dravinja River C. Mura River basin

7 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 7/49 1. Mura River along the section of the border with Austria, including the Kučnica tributary 2. The inner part of the Mura River from Kučnica to the border with Hungary 3. Lendava with the Krka River in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia and the Kobiljski Brook 4. Ščavnica River D. Soča River basin 1. Soča River with border watercourses called Koritnica, Učeja, Nadiža, Reka, Idrija 2. Bača 3. Idrijca 4. Vipava E. Adriatic river basin with the sea 1. Reka River (Notranjska region) 2. Tributaries of the Adriatic Sea in the Republic of Slovenia (Dragonja, Badaševica, Rižana, Osapska Reka) and other direct tributaries of the Adriatic Sea 3. Coastal sea In Slovenia, the majority of surface watercourses are located in the Podravje region 1.88 km/km 2 and the fewest in the Slovenian part of the Kolpa River basin 0.53 km/km 2. a) River regimes A river regime is to be understood as oscillations in the volume of water stage during the year; these depend primarily on the annual distribution of precipitation, evaporation, underground water retention and similar. Therefore, the water surplus does not always and entirely depend on excessive precipitation. River regimes are determined on the basis of analysis of average mid-monthly modules of discharge during a thirty-year period ( ) and partially by taking into consideration the degree of interaction with Euclidean distances between individual water gauging stations. In Slovenia, there are four basic types of river regimes: 1. snow (nival) regime 2. snow-rain (nivo-pluvial) regime 3. rain-snow (pluvio-nival) regime 4. rain (pluvial) regime A The snow regime applies to the Mura and Drava rivers. Its characteristic is one maximum and one minimum. An above-average volume of water occurs in April and reaches its maximum during late spring (May); this situation then remains until July. B The snow-rain regime is found with the watercourses of mountainous regions of Slovenia and their immediate foothills (Julian Alps, Karavanke Range, Kobansko, Pohorje). In the case of longer watercourses with a considerable contributing area in the mountains, the effects of the snow-rain regime are present quite far down the stream. On the Sava, this happens till

8 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 8/49 the confluence with the Ljubljanica River, on the Soča till the confluence with the Idrijca, and on the Savinja till Nazarje. The watercourse distribution dynamics are characterised by two maximums and two minimums. The first occurs in early spring, usually in May or even June, but the second maximum in November is normally smaller. C The rain-snow regime is characterised by the first maximum in April, or even in March or May, while the second always occurs in November, to be followed by one in December. Two variants apply to this regime: C1 the continental variant, characterised by a less distinctive second maximum; however, the period of the lowest summer water volume lasts as late as September; and C2 the Mediterranean variant, characterised by a usual autumn rain maximum linked to the March-April maximum or at least closely approaching it or even slightly exceeding it. Watercourses of the sub-alpine highlands, Dinaric-Karstic region and sub-pannonian parts of Slovenia all have this regime. In its lower section, the Soča has the same regime as well. D The rain regime, characteristic for watercourses in the Primorje region, such as the Dragonja, Reka and Pivka rivers. High waters start in November and last until April, reaching their maximum in November. b) Specific discharges Specific runoff refers to the water outflow from a 1 km 2 surface area per second. Under normal circumstances, specific runoff is highest on the upstream section and gradually diminishes downstream. The highest specific runoff occurs in the western part of Slovenia (Alpine region) and the lowest in the Prekmurje region. c) River runoff Runoff is recorded as a runoff coefficient, representing the ratio between the amount of precipitation and the amount of water outflow. We usually express it as a percentage of the average amount of precipitation. It is calculated for water gauging stations and for their water contributing areas, as well as for intermediate areas delineated as a hydrographic basin. The accuracy of the runoff coefficient depends on characteristics of the catchment area, correct delineation of the basin area (the hardest task in the Karst) and on the determination of precipitation. The region of Pomurje has light precipitation and high evaporation (evapotraspiration), and therefore has the lowest runoff coefficient, i.e. 25%, in Slovenia; meanwhile, the Posočje region has the highest average runoff of precipitation, namely 73%. d) Precipitation

9 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 9/49 The main characteristic of the annual precipitation distribution in Slovenia is in the fact that such a small territory can show such great differences. The annual quantity of precipitation from west to east shows a drastic downward trend, while the timetable of maximal precipitation varies as well. Apart from the great volume of annual precipitation in the western part of Slovenia, the volume of measured daily precipitation is also record-breaking, considering that in the Posočje region over 400 mm of precipitation per day and over 100 mm per hour have previously been measured. The spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation is greatly influenced by the geographic position of Slovenia and its highly varied topographic relief. During those days when humid and relatively warm air from the Mediterranean emerges over the country, the volume of precipitation in Slovenia is at its highest. Along the mountain barriers, air rises, cools and then discharges its excessive moisture content. This is the reason why the maximum volume of annual precipitation occurs in the western parts of the Julian Alps and in those areas along the Dinaric-Alpine barrier, and the next maximum, a bit smaller, in the Kamniške-Savinjske Alps. The total annual precipitation volume diminishes northeasterly in proportion to the distance from the sea and is lowest in areas close to the Hungarian border, reaching less than 900 mm annually. The wettest places in Slovenia have approximately four times more precipitation than the driest ones. Slovenia has on average about 1,500 mm of precipitation per year, or 1,000 m 3 /s or 31,700,000,000 m 3 of water. Approximately 400 m 3 /s (650 mm/year) or 13,000,000,000 m 3 of water (per year) evaporate, which amounts to about 40%. In light of these figures, it can be stated that about 580 m 3 /s (900 mm/year), or 18,500,000,000 m 3, of water runs off the territory of Slovenia Flood Areas in Slovenia As far as individual watercourses and areas are concerned, flooding occurs at the same intensity within specific time sequences. In terms of the recurrence interval of high waters, we distinguish the following flood lines: up to 5-year recurrence interval flood lines frequent floods from 10- to 20-year recurrence interval flood lines 10- to 20-year floods 100-year or more recurrence interval flood lines catastrophic floods In the majority of cases, floods with the same recurrence period do not occur in the entire river basin area at the same time. For flooding to occur in the area of smaller river basins, intense precipitation of short duration up to several hours needs to occur, and this is a common phenomenon during the summer. In greater river basin areas, the decisive factor in flooding is precipitation of longer duration, as it usually occurs during spring or autumn periods Flood hazards in Slovenia

10 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 10/49 Areas where flooding is a regular, frequent or occasional occurrence are spread over the entire territory of Slovenia. This phenomenon and its development is primarily directly related to natural and socio-economic causes and circumstances. Our main and largest flooding areas are in lowland and flatland regions of northeastern and sub-panonian Slovenia, in sub-alpine valleys and basins which draw off water from the Šavrinsko gričevje and the surrounding hilly area. The lowest riverside flatlands along the Lendava, Mura and Ščavnica rivers transform into large flood plains. The Drava below Maribor is surrounded by a vast flood-prone area, and all its tributaries also cause extensive flooding of agricultural land (Pesnica, Polskava, Dravinja). The intended use of land which is prone to flooding has been significantly altered through river training of the Savinja and its tributaries. Flood and large flood waters cover vast agricultural land surfaces in the lower Posavje region. The eastern and central Dolenjska region, including Bela Krajina, has several smaller flooding areas along the Kolpa, Krka, Temenica and Mirna rivers and their tributaries. The Ljubljansko Barje (Marsh), on the border between the Alpine and Dinaric mountain systems, is our largest flood area. Regular, i.e. annual, floods cover areas as large as around 2,300 ha, while high waters increase this surface area to approximately 5,600 ha of marsh land. Even individual regions of southwestern Slovenia have several such areas. These cover larger territories within the Notranjska region system of valleys with Karstic fields, the land along the Pivka, the Notranjska Reka, and agricultural areas along the Vipava River and its tributaries. More than half of Slovenia's floodplains (54%) are found in the Sava basin, which covers 58% of the national territory. The Drava basin covers 23% of the country and contains 42% of Slovenia s floodplains. The Soča and its tributaries, with direct outfall into the sea, occupy 19% of the territory of the Republic of Slovenia and account for 4% of floodplains Catastrophic high waters Such high waters occur for the following reasons: precipitation distribution in the belt that gravitates directly toward settled areas; floodplains are already soaked prior to the occurrence of extreme precipitation, or have a geological structure of poor permeability, or their soil is frozen; planned river training and the foreseen water retaining systems have not been constructed yet, while watercourses have scant vegetation; obstructed dams and bridges further increase water retention on floodplains; after the destruction of these structures, a flood surcharge wave pulsation begins The greatest floods in Slovenia In Slovenia, high waters occur every year and are a regular phenomenon in many locations. They may occur during any season; however, they occur most frequently in autumn, especially as a result of the reduced role of plant cover. During the previous century, not a single decade passed without significant floods. Floods continued to occur over the entire territory of Slovenia. Reports on the worst flooding came from the wider Celje region, in Podravje and Pomurje regions, the lower reaches of the Sava,

11 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 11/49 and the regions of Koroška, Notranjska and the sub-alpine highlands. In addition to material damage, flooding also claimed lives. Fortunately, the number of casualties has fallen over the years. On several occasions during the previous decade, from 1990 to 2000, we were stricken not only by annual high waters, but also by extremely high waters which caused floods with catastrophic consequences in some river basins. The most extensive flooding with the highest river discharges, reaching a 100-year recurrence interval, occurred in 1990, apart from flash floods in 1994 and 1995, and in 1998 and In terms of their scale and consequences for the wider region, the November 1990 and November 1998 floods stood out during the previous decade. The highest river discharge, with a 50-year recurrence interval, which reflected the extreme force of the flooding, occurred in 1990 in the Savinja and Sava basins, in their middle and lower reaches, and in 1998 in those as well as other river basins. In both flood events, the Savinja basin was the hardest struck. During the November 2000 floods, the Savinja attained a record level during the observed period in its upper reaches near Solčava, which was higher than the levels during the 1990 and 1998 floods. On 1 November 1990, flood waters covered a large portion of Slovenia. The Sava at Radeče, the Sora, Kamniška Bistrica and Savinja rivers all caused flooding and reached their highest flow levels, with a 100-year recurrence interval. These floods also caused enormous material damage. In 1998, during the months of October and November, a belt of high precipitation stretched from the coastal region of Koper over the Karstic plateau, Ljubljansko Barje, Tuhinjska Dolina and the Dreta River basin to the wider region of the Celje Valley and further over the Haloze area (the Dravinja basin) to neighbouring Croatia. The initial estimates of the scale and consequences of the flooding show that they were more severe than in 1990, when damage costs amounted to approximately 20% of GDP. Particularly severe were the floods caused by the Selška Sora River in Železniki, the Dravinja and the Savinja in Celje, Laško and elsewhere, the Drava along its old river bed, and others. These floods caused enormous material damage to engineered structures, but fortunately without any loss of life. In November of 2000, high waters lasted quite a long time in Slovenia. The highest discharges of certain monitored rivers exceeded annual levels in some sections, as did the level of flood waters over Karstic fields of Notranjska and Suha Krajina regions. In some places, seasonal peaks and even recorded values within the monitored period (the Savinja in its upper reaches in the area around Solčava, the Meža in its upper reaches in the area around Črna) were recorded. Recurrence intervals of the highest discharges exceeded those of the 100-year floods. The highest flows with 20- to 50-year recurrence intervals were recorded in the case of the Sava Dolinka and Soča rivers in their upper reaches, including their Tominka and Učeja tributaries, and in the case of the flood water level at Loško Polje, Cerkniško Jezero and Planinsko Polje. In the stated period, the water levels of the Savinja at Solčava and the water level of Cerkniško Jezero were higher than the seasonal high-water peaks. In the valley above Log pod Mangartom, a landslide caused a natural disaster of great proportions Impact of Floods on People, Buildings and the Environment

12 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 12/49 Flooding is a very dynamic phenomenon. The accumulation and runoff of increased quantities of precipitation cause intensive processes of erosion, not only in riverbeds but also along the entire river basin. The suspended load transport of watercourses increases enormously. Beside bed load, dragged by the water at the bottom, the watercourse washes away and also carries different floating debris. This debris (trunks of bigger trees) gets wedged in narrow sections of the watercourse (at bridges) and clogs up the water. With further increases in the flow of water, the clogged section of the watercourse breaks down and causes an additional destructive flood wave in its bed. Due to increased discharge, the water inundates the neighbouring surfaces and poses a risk to various activities. People can suffer numerous injuries in floods as a result of high waters, the washing away of objects or their efforts to salvage them. In addition to injuries, floods also affect people's metal state (through fear, loss of home and other reasons). Floods may even claim human lives, most often due to drowning. Furthermore, housing and cultural heritage structures may be demolished, and infrastructure damaged or destroyed. Water ruins equipment and can trigger landslides that endanger housing property. Agricultural production is rendered impossible for a longer period of time, forests are damaged, and other negative consequences occur. The flooding of the man-made environment, infrastructure and built areas results in damage that can be divided into direct and indirect damage. Once the flow has decreased and the floodwater subsides, debris, floating debris, pollution, etc. remain behind on the flooded surfaces Probability of a Chain-Reaction Accident When catastrophic floods occur, other forms of detrimental water action may arise, such as: surface, in-depth and side erosion of inland watercourses, sea erosion, landslides and rock avalanches, snow avalanches, ice on inland watercourses, uncontrolled leakage of dangerous substances into the environment, epidemics and epizootics, and damage to infrastructure. Landslides or snow avalanches may block the flow of water and create impoundments. This may lead to the destruction of such naturally formed dams, followed by the downstream crushing wave, which causes additional destruction to surrounding areas. Due to chainreaction accidents, catastrophic floods may cause fatalities and additional damage to buildings and infrastructure. In flooding events with chain-reaction accidents, emergency measures follow a plan prepared for individual types of accidents Conclusions Abundant precipitation usually leads to high waters whose quantity largely depends on the geographical position and relief of Slovenia s territory. Fluctuations among low, medium

13 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 13/49 and high water stages are considerable and characteristic of the majority of our watercourses, thus reflecting their torrential features. Watercourses in the Karstic region are exempted from this because their waters are retained and such fluctuations are therefore lesser. In various parts of Slovenia, floods occur practically every year and in some areas even more than once a year. Catastrophic floods are less common. They strike most often during autumn or spring, but floods caused by sudden heavy rainfall (storms) with great quantities of water can occur in summer as well. In spite of certain measures, floods can also strike densely populated areas. Provisions should therefore be made to prepare for them in good time. Managing the threat of flooding involves various flood prevention measures, as well as those that mitigate its consequences, among which the most important are the monitoring and study of flood hazards. In order to have an organised and effective response to flooding, it is necessary to prepare adequate plans on both local and national levels. Complete protection against floods includes prevention, the establishment and maintenance of readiness for protection, rescue and relief, as well as for elimination of their consequences and reconstruction. This plan regulates only the measures and activities undertaken for protection, rescue and relief, however, those activities that ensure the basic conditions of life in affected areas are within the state competence. The Emergency Response Plan in the Event of Floods contains only flood response measures and does not include other events related to the damaging action of water as defined in the Waters Act. It does not cover floods caused by the destruction of dams. Emergency plans for such eventualities are prepared by municipalities and dam management bodies.

14 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 14/49 2 SCOPE OF PLANNING 2.1. Basic levels of planning The Emergency Response Plan in the Event of Floods (hereinafter: National Plan) shall be prepared by the state and by municipalities which could suffer from floods caused by natural phenomena. The National Plan shall be prepared in greater detail for regions at risk. Such a plan shall solely regulate measures and activities for protection, rescue and relief, as well those that ensure the basic conditions of life and are within the state competence. The National Plan shall be prepared for catastrophic floods caused by natural phenomena and which are anticipated on the basis of data and analyses in the basins of the Sava River, the Drava and Mura rivers, and the Soča River basin. The National Plan shall be prepared in greater detail for regions at risk. In addition, such emergency plans shall be prepared by municipalities located in flood-risk regions. Flash floods shall also be taken into consideration in the preparation of these plans. Municipalities with larger detention reservoirs shall prepare a separate emergency plan in the event of dam destruction. The basis for the plans of all planning authorities shall be the National Plan, with which other plans shall be coordinated. 2.2 Protection, rescue and relief principles In the event of an earthquake, protection, rescue and relief efforts shall be organised in accordance with the following principles: Any person shall have the right to protection, rescue and relief if a disaster poses a life, health or property hazard to them. In the event of a disaster, protection and rescue of human lives shall have priority over any other protection and rescue activities. In the event of a disaster, any person shall be obliged to give assistance to the best of their ability. In providing protection against natural and other disasters, the state and the municipalities, within their authority, give priority to the organisation of preventive measures. All forms of planned protection against natural and other disasters shall give priority to preventive measures. Where protection, rescue and relief is required in the event of natural or other disaster,

15 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 15/49 the municipality shall initially deploy its own forces and resources. Where the scale of a disaster or threat overwhelms the available forces and resources of a municipality, or they cannot be provided by neighbouring municipalities, the state shall ensure that forces and resources from a wider area are called in. All protection, rescue and relief efforts shall be of a humanitarian nature. In order to prevent or at least mitigate the consequences of natural and other disasters, it is necessary to act in a fast and efficient manner. Therefore, the protection, rescue and relief forces shall be organised, equipped and trained so that they can respond within the shortest time possible. Information on hazards and on the activities of national authorities, municipalities and other bodies involved in the implementation of tasks related to protection against natural and other disasters shall be public. The state and the municipality shall make sure that the population of an area which might be affected by a natural or other disaster is notified of danger.

16 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 16/49 3 CONCEPT OF PROTECTION, RESCUE AND RELIEF 3.1. Basic Premises of the National Plan The basic premises of the National Plan are the following: 1. Protection against floods shall be provided by national public services for water management and by national and local public utility services (electrical power plants, road maintenance companies and others), municipalities and national authorities, citizens as individuals, citizens organised on a voluntary basis in various societies and other nongovernmental organisation engaged in protection and rescue operations, public rescue services, enterprises, institutions and other organisations whose activities are relevant to protection and rescue efforts, in accordance with their rights and competences. 2. The National Plan shall be elaborated for floods caused by natural phenomena, as well as catastrophic floods when they occur along any watercourse in the country and when local and regional resources are not adequate for effective implementation of protection, rescue and relief tasks. 3. Floods may endanger human lives, animals and material assets directly due to: the impact of flood waves; damage done to buildings and equipment used for the production, processing, use, transport, transshipment, storage and disposal of dangerous substances; damage done to bridges, or their destruction, and to other transport infrastructure, water management infrastructure and natural watercourses; damage done to electric, gas and other installations; and damage to cultural heritage buildings and similar. The abovestated structures must be examined in the affected area immediately upon the occurrence of a flood event. 4. In order to prevent and reduce damage caused by floods as well as protect the population, timely warnings of a potential flood threat shall be urgently issued by municipalities, individual organisations and national authorities. 5. In the event of sudden floods (unexpected heavy rain showers), civil protection, rescue and relief units shall immediately start their activities in the affected area in order to rescue people, animals and material goods. 6. In the event of catastrophic floods, Slovenia may request assistance from those countries with which Slovenia has bilateral or multilateral agreements, in addition to the countries and international organisations within the framework of the EU, NATO, UN and Partnership-for-Peace programme.

17 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 17/ Protection and Rescue Operation Concept Flood response concept The concept of response to floods shall be based on its effects on people, the environment and structures. The Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia shall produce measurements on which it shall base its warnings against flooding of rivers and the sea; in so doing, it shall cooperate with services in neighbouring countries, especially for the upper reaches of the Drava and Mura rivers. Data on water stages shall be forwarded to neighbouring countries located along the lower reaches of the Sava, Mura and Soča rivers. There are five levels of intervention values regarding water stages (from H1 to H5) on which the response shall be based, namely: increasing watercourse levels (exceeding the threshold water stage or when the discharge has reached the critical point and thus requires continuous monitoring of the situation); the Department for Hydrological Forecasting at the MESP-EARS Monitoring Office shall begin with regular monitoring of water stages and discharges when rivers or the sea exceed water stage or discharge threshold values; Floods (state of readiness for action). When threshold values of water stage or discharge are exceeded and are still rising, the state of readiness for action shall be initiated. This action shall include activities such as: informing the public; alerting the affected population; mobilising protection, rescue and relief units; defining protective and other measures; collecting information and distributing data; implementing protection, rescue and relief tasks; assessing damage; monitoring the situation, and finally, terminating all activities. Catastrophic floods. In such events, these activities include alerting and informing the competent authorities and the public, along with mobilising protection, rescue and relief units; based on the accident scenario forecasts and the assessment of the situation, the Commander of Civil Protection of the Republic of Slovenia shall specify protective measures and tasks. A flash flood response procedure shall be defined in municipal protection, rescue and relief plans. 3.3 Use of the plan The national protection and rescue plan shall be activated in the event of a destructive earthquake in any part of the Republic of Slovenia. The decision on the use of the national plan is made by the RS Civil Protection Commander.

18 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 18/49 4 UNITS, FACILITIES AND RESOURCES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN 4.1 Overview of authorities and organisations responsible for tasks under state authority National authorities: RS Government, ministries National protection, rescue and relief forces: Civil Protection (CP)bodies: RS CP Commander, Deputy RS CP Commander, RS CP Headquarters, regional CP commanders, deputy regional CP commanders, and regional CP headquarters Civil Protection units and services: national rapid response unit, nuclear, biological and chemical protection units (RBC protection), technical rescue units, units for protection against unexploded ordnance, service for triggering of avalanches, information centres, logistical centres, and support services Public protection, rescue and relief services: fire-fighting service, mountain rescue service, cave rescue service, and veterinary organisations Units and services of associations and other non-governmental organisations: dog handler units, water rescue units, units for setting up of temporary camps, and dispensaries and accommodation units Units, services and protection, rescue and relief centres organised by national authorities: ecological laboratory with a mobile unit, the mobile unit of the ecological laboratory hygienic-epidemic response unit, protection and rescue unit for incidents with chlorine and other acid substances,

19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 19/49 mobile meteorological and hydrological unit, rescue unit for accidents in mines, and unit for identification of fatalities 4.2 Material and technical assets required by the plan Planning of material and technical assets shall include the following: protection and rescue equipment and tools (personal and collective protection assets, equipment, vehicles and technical and other assets used by experts, rescue units, services and rescuers), material protection, rescue and relief assets from national reserve commodities 4.3 Financial resources planned for the implementation of the plan The financial resources shall be planned for: operational costs (reimbursement for activated CP members and other protection, rescue and relief unit members ), costs of training units and services, material costs (such as travel costs and services)

20 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 20/49 5 MONITORING, NOTIFYING AND WARNING 5.1. Monitoring and Notifying Monitoring the Threat of Flooding Monitoring the stages and discharges of watercourses The Hydrological Forecasting Department of the MESP-EARS Monitoring Office shall regularly monitor water stages and discharges of watercourses in the Republic of Slovenia and shall cooperate with neighbouring countries in the exchange of data on the status of waters in their territories. In all cases when rivers or the sea level exceed the threshold values for water stages and discharges, the Hydrological Forecasting Department shall initiate its emergency monitoring and notification procedure. Floods can be forecast. By monitoring the hydrological situation in the upper reaches of watercourses and by taking into consideration water inflow from tributaries, along with the water carrying capacity itself, it is possible to foresee with considerable accuracy the time when watercourses will start to flood. The basic support of hydrological activity is a hydrological measuring network or hydrological monitoring. The system of observation and monitoring is based on a classical network of hydrometric stations. Its development was influenced primarily by the need to protect settled areas against floods and by the use of water for energy generation, and technological and water supply purposes. Water stages in Slovenia are monitored by fifty-two (52) hydrometric stations, out of which forty-eight (48) are owned by the MESP-EARS Monitoring Office, three (3) are located in the area of hydroelectric power plants, and one (1) is on the Mali Graben watercourse, where monitoring is not done regularly. A total of 124 stations are water level recording stations and 14 do automatic recording. There is a greater probability of flooding if the soil is already highly saturated by previous rainfall and the stage of the watercourse is already strained. An additional factor may be the amount of leafy cover, which drastically diminishes outside the vegetation period. Extremely high waters may occur due to heavy rainfall and melting of snow occurring simultaneously. Quite often local floods come as a surprise due to frozen soil and the resulting runoff of precipitation directly into a watercourse. Enclosure 13 contains intervention values with five levels of flood hazard for 52 crosssections of watercourses. The majority, i.e. 48 of the intervention values, are determined on watercourses at cross-sections of hydrometric stations under the MESP-EARS Monitoring Office. Three (3) intervention values are determined at cross-sections of the existing

21 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 21/49 hydroelectric power plants and one (1) at the Mali Graben watercourse, where monitoring is not done regularly. Each cross-section of a watercourse for which intervention values are prepared shall be accompanied by a data sheet containing basic data on hydrometric stations, river basins, methods of data collection (limnigraph, year, hydroelectric power plant) and the name of the operator of the specific hydrometric station. In addition, data on characteristic discharge values, the rating curve and peak high water measurements shall be also entered. In sections b and c, this data sheet presents data about installations at risk in relation to individual water stages. These data shall contain information on flood hazards or flooding with reference to specific plots of land, houses, settlements and water management structures, as well as transport and other infrastructure. There are five degrees (from H1 to H5) of intervention values regarding water stage levels. When a hydrometric station records these values, they indicate the following: H1 (Q1) elevated water stage H2 (Q2) continuous monitoring of ongoing situation H3 (Q3) state of readiness for action H4 (Q4) taking action H5 (Q5) catastrophic flooding Water stage levels H1 and H2 are warning stages, which signal an elevated level of water, and therefore, an increased risk of flooding. At the H3 water stage level, waters are already overflowing the banks of the watercourse and on-site intervention begins Measurement of precipitation quantity and forecasting In order to monitor the frequency and quantity of precipitation, the MESP-EARS Monitoring Office shall have access to the data of meteorological observers, automatic meteorological and hydrometric stations, and data provided by radar and satellites. The monitoring sources from the previous sentence are arranged in decreasing order of accuracy of measured and observed values. In Slovenia, a 24-hour precipitation cycle is measured every day in the morning at approximately 290 hydrometric stations. Such measurements include the total volume of precipitation regardless of whether it lasted a whole day or only a short time. However, these data are not precise enough to forecast (explain) the occurrence of flood waves on watercourses. Approximately fifty (50) hydrometric stations uninterruptedly record precipitation with rain gauges to meet the needs of hydrology and the construction sector, in addition to calculating runoff coefficients for towns. These stations provide data on precipitation intensity in short intervals, but for individual locations only. In a varied terrain, discrepancies may be considerable over relatively short distances, and furthermore, hydrometric stations are located in settled areas, while the greatest amount of precipitation occurs in mountain (unsettled) regions. Precipitation charts are prepared on the basis of measured quantities and precipitation processes occurring at mountain barriers.

22 EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN THE EVENT OF FLOODS IN RS 22/49 Weather radar is used to obtain data on the anticipated intensity of precipitation, serving as a basis for forecasting further developments; the latter is also of assistance in forecasting floods or high sea tides. Weather forecasts have approximately an 80% accuracy rate Communication of data on flood threats or actual floods In the event of an emerging threat of flood or an actual flood, the MESP-EARS Monitoring Office shall notify: the Notification Centre of the Republic of Slovenia at the Civil Protection Administration of the Republic of Slovenia. Such information shall contain data on: - a specific watercourse which has reached the threshold water stage or discharge, - the anticipated time of flooding, and - the location of flooding. These data shall also be sent to countries, especially neighbouring countries, with which bilateral agreements have been concluded. The computer network of the MESP-EARS, whose automated hydrometric station data, provided by the MESP-EARS Monitoring Office, are updated every 30 minutes, shall be linked via a leased line to the computer network of the Notification Centre of the Republic of Slovenia at the Civil Protection Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (ACPDR). These data shall also include information on the state of waters in neighbouring Austria. Furthermore, the NCRS shall inform the competent national notification centres of the neighbouring countries of Croatia and Italy of flood threats with regard to rivers which flow out to their territories. Reports on the state of rivers shall contain the following data: - stage - discharge - water temperature In monitoring the threat of flooding, the most significant data concern river water stage and discharge rates, in addition to data on the quantity and forecast of precipitation. Notifying and Alerting Competent National Authorities Notifying competent authorities Notification of menacing catastrophic floods with a 100-year or more recurrence interval, which may affect or have affected urban areas, threaten or have threatened the lives of people, and cause or have caused considerable material damage, shall be distributed by the Notification Centre of the Republic of Slovenia to the following authorities: Regional Notification Centres in areas at risk from flooding OCC GPU (Operations and Communications Centre of the General Police Directorate) Commander of the CPRS ACPDR Director-General (Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief),