Polski
Persistent high water levels on Polish rivers continue to pose a threat in much of the province. On Monday, February 12, an increase in water levels was reported on the Vidawa River in the Wroclaw area, a dangerous situation also occurred in Plock and in the Wlodawa area, where the Bug River overflowed. The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management-State Research Institute issued hydrological alerts for 15 provinces. What is it like today?
The level of the Vistula River has exceeded the alarm level
The alarm condition was exceeded at several measurement points on the Vistula, which is not an isolated case. A flood alert, in effect until further notice, has been issued for several municipalities and towns along the Vistula River: Wyszogród, Bodzanów, Gąbin, Mała Wieś, Słupno, Słubice and Nowy Dunin. The situation is dynamic and requires constant monitoring.
Currently, the level of the Vistula in Plock is dropping, which means that the culminating wave has already passed through the city. Nevertheless, a state of flood alert is still in effect here. At the Borowiczki water level gauge on Monday, the level was 316 cm (warning level: 315 cm), and at the Grabowka water level gauge it was 750 cm (warning level: 740 cm).
At the other two water gauges in Plock, the level of the Vistula rose, but only slightly. At the Orlen water level gauge, up to 646 cm (warning condition: 670 cm), and at the water level gauge at the anti-flood gate in Radziwie to 194 cm (warning condition: 210 cm). Southeast of Plock, the river level is also slowly decreasing. In Wyszogrod it is 550 cm (alarm level: 550 cm), and in Kepa Polska it is 511 cm (alarm level: 500 cm).
Hydrological alerts in most provinces
It is not just the Vistula River that is currently posing a threat – elevated water levels have been reported throughout Poland. Hydrological alerts have been issued in most provinces. For some of them (Mazovia, Podlasie, West Pomerania, Lubuskie, Pomerania, Wielkopolska, Lower Silesia and Łódź) they are of the highest, third degree.
On the other hand, second-degree warnings apply to parts of provinces such as Pomorskie, Zachodniopomorskie, Lubuskie, Dolnoslaskie, Opolskie, Łódzkie, Wielkopolskie, Lubelskie, Świętokrzyskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Mazowieckie and coastal areas of the southeastern Baltic Sea.
According to IMGW-PIB, today at 7:00 am, the alarm condition was exceeded at:
- 10 hydrological stations in the Vistula River basin, with a maximum of 33 cm at the Rajgród station on the Leda;
- 23 hydrological stations in the Oder River basin, with a maximum of 83 cm in Korzeńsk on the Orla River;
- 1 hydrological station in the Pøemory River basin, by 28 cm at the Prosna station on the Guber River;
- 1 marine hydrological station, by 6 cm in Trzebiez on the Szczecin Lagoon.
On the other hand, the warning condition was exceeded at:
- 70 hydrological stations in the Vistula River basin;
- 57 hydrological stations in the Oder River basin;
- 10 hydrological stations in the Coastal Basin.
High water levels in Lower Silesia
The situation on the Vidava River in Wroclaw also deserves attention. A flood alert is currently in effect in the city, but there is no real threat of flooding. Although on Monday the water level significantly exceeded the alarm level (by 63 cm), flooding was avoided thanks to monitoring and appropriate preventive measures. However, it should be remembered that the drop in water levels in a river like the Vidava is slow, due to its lowland nature.
According to data from IMGW-PIB, on Monday morning, February 12, the level of the Vidava River at the Zbytovo profile located above Wilczyce was 416 cm with an alarm level of 350 cm. An analogous situation occurred on the Krzyzanowice profile, located below the village, where the water level reached 267 cm with an alert level of 200 cm. The Wrocław magistrate is also monitoring the situation on the Sleza River, where the warning level has been found to have exceeded by 4 cm, which is not yet a threat to local residents.
Bug flooded fields and meadows, no flooding of residential buildings
Rapid snowmelt and heavy rainfall have also raised the water level in the Bug River, which has flooded fields and meadows near the shoreline in the municipalities of Wola Uhruska and Hanna in the province. lubelskie. On Monday, February 12, the water gauge in Wlodawa indicated 326 cm, exceeding the warning level by 26 cm. The alarm condition is still more than half a meter (390 cm) away. Firefighters are monitoring the shoreline and dikes along the entire length of the river in Wlodawa County, with rescue equipment on standby. The head of the Wola Uhruska municipality assures that there is no threat to residents, and the current situation is much less worrisome than that of 10 years ago.
Local flooding and elevated water levels in Poland pose challenges that require cooperation at all levels of emergency management. The situation in Plock and other regions of the country shows the importance of proper preparation and response to flood threats. Ongoing monitoring of the situation and adherence to local government guidelines will certainly help minimize the effects of flooding.
