Protecting against flooding
Public presentation of town-centre flood protection plans

Numerous flood protection measures are currently being planned and implemented along the River Neckar in southwest Germany. In the area of Sulz am Neckar, for instance, the state of Baden-Württemberg’s flood risk maps show that severe flooding can be expected periodically, with large areas being impacted during a 100-year flood, or even a 50-year flood.

Inros Lackner, working together with Herzog & Partner, developed the required flood protection plans, and presented them to the town council in mid-July. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed measures, Inros Lackner created a 2D hydraulic model based on the geometric and hydraulic specifications, integrating the hydrological boundary conditions. Various drainage scenarios and options were evaluated.

The aim of the project is to protect the district of Fischingen and to develop the river in a nature-orientated way. At the same time, the ability of the public to access and to enjoy the river must be maintained. It was specified that any flood protection walls in the town be limited to one metre in height – a limitation that can only be achieved by significantly lowering the riverbed. The bottom of the river is to be lowered by one and a half metres, giving the Neckar more room to flow. In addition, a flood basin shall be created. The designers’ preferred option comprises a mix of flood protection walls, dams, floodplain excavations and the lowering of the riverbed, taking ecological concerns into consideration. The preliminary design of the flood protection measures has already been completed, and the project is currently in the design development stage.

^{(Source: schwarzwaelder-bote.de)}