The Vistula (Polish: Wisla) is the longest and largest river in Poland, at 1,047 kilometres (651 miles) in length.
Large-scale floods in 2010 caused by heavy rain and rapid snowmelt in the mountains forced cities up and down the river to race to sandbag streets and buildings along its banks. In Krakow, the mayor declared a state of emergency after the river passed the high-water mark at 74 cm above average. The next day the river swelled to 300 cm above flood stage. The massive stone bulwarks lining the river held firm, though, and channelled most of the problem past the city and downstream to other cities, which suffered inundation. In some cases the water clearly revealed the naivety of local officials who had allowed wide development in the now soaked flood plains. It took about a month for the floodwaters to receed and the cities to go back to daily life. However, the memory remained and the potential future risk concerned local residents.
There are many stormwater outfall into the river which become channels for backflow during flooded river conditions. The flooded river pushes water back up the stormwater pipes leading the water directly into the suburbs. Instead of the stormwater pipes leading water to the river the exact opposite occurs which causes massive flooding.
Installing a WaStop on the outfall effectively prevents any flood waters entering the stormwater pipe and therefore stops flooding. The stormwater is still able to be released into the river but river water is kept off the streets and out of the houses in the surrounding areas. Another successful installation with hundreds of people now protected against flooding.
Thanks to our distributor in Poland, Rafnar.
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