Under construction near Hungary’s border with Ukraine, the Tisza-Túr flood retention reservoir will support climate change adaptation by bolstering flood defences on the Upper Tisza river, reducing the load on flood protection channels and helping to prevent water damage.
Flood defence and water management systems for Hungary’s Upper Tisza river
- 13 May 2020
In parallel, work to connect the Palád-Csécsei and Alsó-Öreg-Túr watercourses will contribute to development of a water management and replenishment system. This system – which will use green energy and be backed up by data on groundwater levels – will provide water for ecological and agricultural purposes during droughts.
Reducing flood levels
Northern and southern embankments 10 885 m and 6 724 m in length respectively and a 7 068 m dike on the right bank of the river Túr will surround the Tisza-Túr reservoir. An inlet, an outlet and 11 bridges will be set up and 46 750 m of water channels will be restored.
Construction of the reservoir is in line with the aims of Hungary’s Improved Vásárhelyi Plan for flood protection, and the Hungarian-Ukrainian flood protection development programme to manage rising flood levels. Scenarios and objectives from Hungary’s National Climate Change Strategy were taken into account at the planning stage.
The overall goal is to create a flood retention reservoir where existing reservoirs do not mitigate the effects of flooding. Its most significant impact will be in the section of the Upper Tisza, near the Ukrainian border. It will make a small contribution to the flood mitigation capacities of retention reservoirs downstream, near the town of Vásárosnamény.
Analysis shows that the reservoir will reduce water levels during extreme weather events by 60-70 cm and will protect more than 130 000 residents against flooding. As well as large-scale disasters, it will prevent smaller floods and flooding of transport infrastructure, saving travellers time and money.
Water replenishment
Connection of the Palád-Csécsei and Alsó-Öreg-Túr watercourses involves the restoration or construction of water replenishment channels 12 087 m long and 20 water replenishment structures, and building of 13 minor structures. A water replenishment facility will be set up on the Tisza and property protection measures will be undertaken, while hydrographic monitoring will be carried out at five locations.
A dike keeper's house at Tiszakóród and a warehouse for flood defence material at Tiszabecs will be built, as will a solar-powered water extraction plant and 1 365 m of service roads linked to an intake structure. The work includes installation of a groundwater monitoring well and demolition of a farm building near the reservoir.
Protecting nature
The damage prevention, water management and water replenishment aspects of the project will support the development plans of local settlements and regional economic development programmes focused on water, nature conservation and floodplain revitalisation. As wetlands and bodies of water are a vital part of the region’s landscape, the work is being done in such a way as to ensure their protection.
Hundreds, and possibly thousands of temporary jobs could be created during the construction phase in a region with high unemployment. After construction, a lower number of permanent staff will be needed for maintenance operations.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Construction of the Improved Vásárhelyi Plan Upper Tisza Flood Protection System – Tisza-Túr reservoir” is EUR 112 576 371, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 95 689 915 through the “Environmental and Energy Efficiency” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Adaptation to the impact of climate change”.