Strategic floodplain reconnection for the Lower Tisza River, Hungary: Opportunities for flood-height reduction and floodplain-wetland reconnection

摘要: Summary During the late 19th Century, Tisza River’s vast floodplain-wetland system was largely disconnected by levees, facilitating “reclamation” for agriculture and resulting in an estimated loss of over 90% historical wetlands. While levees have been successful preventing catastrophic flooding a century, Lower flood stage records set repeatedly during last 15 years. The decrease Tisza’s current floodway carrying capacity has reduced flood-protection level aging levee system. Recently Hungary, “Room River” policies gained more prominence. To explore possibilities room river approach along Tisza, we assess eight potential floodplain-reconnection scenarios between Csongrad, Hungary Hungary–Serbia border. A novel framework using hydrodynamic geospatial modeling used to perform planning-level evaluations tradeoffs enhancement existing evaluated include removal setbacks strategically reconnect significant wetlands while reducing levels. Scenario costs human population impacts are also assessed. Impacts reconnecting floodplain compared heightening prevailing strategy previous century. From purely construction-cost perspective, is potentially most cost-effective politically expedient solution (i.e., least number people). However, levee-heightening does not solve long-term problem conveyance, which attributed aggradation increased roughness, nor it result wetland reconnection or other ecosystem services. suite options evaluate provides engineers, planners, decision makers from they can further flood-risk reduction options. At three (setting western back, 1500-m, 2000-m setbacks) demonstrate that possible achieving objectives minimizing on populations heights.