Household flood risk reduction in the Czech Republic

Abstract

This paper uses household surveys in the Bečva River Basin, the Czech Republic to determine the coping and adaptation measures that are implemented for flood risk reduction. In 2012, door-to-door surveys with household residents (N=304) were completed in areas of high, low, and ostensibly no flood risk. Using a probit model as a regression technique through the statistical software STATA, we explored factors that potentially influence coping and adaptation. Overall, coping and adaptation measures for flooding were not undertaken extensively and the rate of change to adopt measures was slow, even amongst floodaffected households. More work is needed to understand the reasons behind their reticence, especially to confirm how much financial factors are a limiting agent. The regression analysis indicated that more children and more men in the household supported the adoption of adaptation measures. As well, when people perceive that they live in a low or high flood risk zone, the likelihood of taking some adaptation measurements increases compared with the perception of living in a no flood risk zone. Meanwhile, the highest negative correlation was that living in a house elevated off the ground decreases the likelihood of taking other adaptation measurements by 20%.

Neglecting uncertainties biases house-elevation decisions to manage riverine flood risks

“…Flood risk mitigation recommendations and strategies vary across countries depending on various factors including governmental strategies and homeowners' flood risk perceptions [47][48][49] . The framework presented in this paper can be applied to cases outside the U.S. with appropriate changes, for uncertainty quantifications that are location-dependent.…”

Local perception of floods in the Czech Republic and recent changes in state flood management strategies

“…Towns that have had experiences with smaller but frequent floods are more flexible than big cities. The more recent study of Duží et al (2013) confirms that monitoring and enforcement of housing regulation in flood risk areas are not strict, and political as well as economic interests delay the implementation of the regulations.…”

“…Č amrová et al, 2004;Č amrová and Jílková, 2006), with only a few studies dealing with the public perception of floods. These studies include those of Duží et al (2013Duží et al ( , 2014 and Kučerová (2006).…”

“…A qualitative post‐flood analysis of one municipality (Kučerová, ) showed changes in social positions of some inhabitants during the floods, intensification of community solidarity and increased feeling of autonomy and development effort as outcomes of the flood event. A study of a local Moravian population (Duží et al ., ) revealed the importance of one's risk perception. When people perceive that they live in a flood risk zone, they are more likely to adopt some flood adaptation measures (although their perception of risk sometimes does not reflect the reality).…”

Adaptation to the Impacts of Climate Extremes in Central Europe: A Case Study in a Rural Area in the Czech Republic

“…There are only a few exceptions, for example Duží et al [42,43], in selected communities within the region in question, or Vaishar et al [30], who focused on a description of several regional case studies on the management of the flood events after 1997 in the Czech Republic and who outlined a progressive method for dealing with this issue, combining a sociological and physical-geographical analysis. The issue of flooding, its historical trend, and comparison has been the subject of studies focused on the catchment basin of the largest rivers, the Morava and Labe [44,45].…”