Flooding in Żuławy. When will farmers receive compensation?

Torrential rains that hit Poland at the end of July led to a hydrological disaster in Pomerania. Its effects are still being felt, and water levels in many rivers in the Lower Vistula water region remain high. The flooding in Żuławy caused significant agricultural losses, for which the owners of the inundated land blame the Polish Waters authority and are demanding compensation.

Flooding in Żuławy – what happened?

Due to adverse weather conditions, on July 29 the left embankment of the Kłodawa River was breached, seepage occurred in the embankment of the Śledziowy Canal, and a leak was reported in the right embankment of the Brzeźnica River. The Stradanka and Kumiela rivers also overflowed. In the following days, serious seepages and overflows were recorded, including in the villages of Wiśniewo and Święty Gaj. The situation was most dramatic in the latter, where transport helicopters and the Fire Department were involved in the embankment protection effort. In total, Polish Waters reported 20 interventions in the region.

The flooding in Żuławy sparked intense reactions in the media, although not all the information reported was accurate. In its fight against fake news, Polish Waters has denied the rumor that water overflowing from canals and embankment seepages caused 100,000–150,000 hectares of farmland to be flooded. According to the Regional Water Management Authority (RZGW) in Gdańsk, it was rainwater that flooded the agricultural areas and filled the canal system, whose embankments in some places could not withstand the pressure, leading to localized seepage and breaches. However, the resulting damage affected only a few percent of the total area impacted by the heavy rainfall.

Representatives of Polish Waters emphasize the hydrological specifics of Żuławy, pointing to the operation of the polder system, from which – when water levels are high – there is no outlet. They also reject accusations of improper maintenance of drainage ditches, noting that responsibility for their condition lies with landowners. Lastly, they point to beavers as co-contributors to the disaster; their population in Żuławy has significantly increased, and their burrows weaken slopes and embankments.

What is the current situation?

Polish Waters reports that the hydrological and meteorological situation in the Lower Vistula region remains dynamic but is slowly stabilizing. For safety reasons, the director of the RZGW in Gdańsk issued an absolute and temporary ban yesterday on movement along flood embankments in areas managed by the Catchment Management Board in Elbląg, Gdańsk, and Tczew. The ban applies to all motor vehicles, as well as pedestrians and cyclists.

Yesterday, embankment reinforcement work was still underway along the Bielawa River, where water levels remain above the warning threshold. On the Radunia River, fluctuations are expected around the warning level, but most rivers in the Lower Vistula water region are showing medium to high levels. On Tuesday, Polish Waters also responded to an embankment breach on the left bank of the Olszówka Stream.

Farmers are impatiently waiting for assistance

The Żuławy flooding coincided with the harvest season, causing most work to be halted. In many cases, it is currently impossible to enter the fields with heavy machinery. The greatest damage has been recorded in the following counties: Nowy Dwór, Malbork, Sztum, and parts of the Gdańsk and Tczew counties. In addition to crops, infrastructure has also been affected.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Stefan Krajewski, who visited Św. Gaj on August 1, promised immediate assistance to farmers. “In such situations, we can’t wait for decisions from Warsaw – time is of the essence,” he stated. The minister also emphasized the need to amend regulations that currently exclude the possibility of reapplying for aid, even though climate-related damages are recurring in nature.

Currently, the biggest challenge is quickly assessing the losses. Local authorities, in cooperation with agricultural advisory centers and the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture (ARiMR), will work on determining exactly how many hectares have been flooded and which crops have been affected. The Pomeranian Chamber of Agriculture is urging farmers to submit requests for loss assessment commissions to the appropriate municipal offices as soon as possible.

Deputy Minister of the Interior and Administration Magdalena Roguska reported that, so far, 400 compensation claims have been submitted to voivodeship offices. The first compensation payments – 8,000 PLN each – have already been made to 31 victims from Tolkmicko and Elbląg. According to information provided today to our editorial team by the spokesperson for the Voivode of Warmia-Masuria, most municipal commissions are still working, and access to many fields remains difficult. A complete assessment of the damages will take some more time.