VEPAR presented - a project that will reduce flood risks in the Republic of Croatia

Hrvatske vode and the State Hydrometeorological Institute solemnly marked the beginning of the implementation of the project for the improvement of non-construction flood risk management measures in the Republic of Croatia - Water-Ecological Monitoring, Analysis and Solutions (VEPAR).

The project, worth HRK 250,100,545.00, was co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund, and was launched with the aim of preventing catastrophic flood events. The grant agreement for the VEPAR project was signed on September 6, 2019. The beneficiary of the grant is Hrvatske vode, and the project partner is the State Hydrometeorological Institute. The planned duration of the project is four years, ie until August 2023.

The implementation of the Project will, through 11 subprojects, provide and systematize the missing data related to basins, watercourses, regulatory and protective water structures, modernize and upgrade the network of hydrological measuring stations, improve prognostic models, prepare and improve flood risk management studies, procure necessary equipment. to implement flood protection measures and to educate and inform the public.

The presentation of the project was attended by the Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds Nataša Tramišak, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development Mario Šiljeg, Damir Trut, Assistant Minister of the Interior, Director General of Croatian Waters Zoran Đuroković, Deputy Director of Croatian Waters, Valentin Dujmović, Director of the State Hydrometeorological Institute Branka Ivančan-Picek and experts in water management.

"This is an important strategic project in the form of combating climate change, and especially in the form of flood protection. This project is only a part of all projects in which the Republic of Croatia, using funds from the European Union, tries to fight the risks of climate change. It is important to mention that in the period from 2014 to 2021, we have contracted one billion and 400 million kuna worth of projects in terms of climate change protection, risk management and disasters. - said the Minister of Regional Development and European Union Funds, Nataša Tramišak.

Secretary in the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, Mario Šiljeg, explained that Croatia is one of the three European countries most exposed to climate change, which is most related to water damage, so such projects are extremely important and added:

"In the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, we expect that the hydrological maps and all expert bases, which will result from the project, will be at a high level and provide the earliest possible warnings to our citizens." In Croatia today, approximately 77% of the population is covered by a satisfactory flood defense system. By 2023, we plan to increase this percentage to 87%, and in the third decade of this century we plan to cover the entire population of Croatia with appropriate measures of the flood defense system. "

Equal flood risk management is needed throughout the state territory of the Republic of Croatia, it was said during the presentation of the project, and non-construction measures of the Project will improve Water-Ecological Monitoring, Analysis and Solutions - VEPAR.

“Predicting and analyzing bad or difficult scenarios is crucial to activate the system in time and prepare for an impending disaster. These are non-construction measures, a sophisticated system that will allow for better management. In cooperation with DHMZ, we will renovate almost 600 water metering stations, which will at any time provide data on the state of water levels in 600 places, and which are of great importance for us to take timely action, which did not exist in 2014. The goal is to reduce the risk of floods and reduce the consequences, "said Zoran Đuroković, General Manager of Hrvatske vode.

"With this event, Hrvatske vode and our partner, the State Hydrometeorological Institute, are starting a significant project, which aims to improve the monitoring, analysis and finding the optimal solution for integrated and sustainable management of water, water environment and flood risks in Croatia. 85% of the money comes from the European Union, and the remaining 15% is financed by Hrvatske vode and DHMZ. Cooperation between Hrvatske vode and DHMZ will implement measures to ensure systematized missing data, which will improve water ecological monitoring, analysis and solutions, "said Valentin Dujmović, Deputy General Manager of Hrvatske vode during the presentation of the project.

Presenting the role of the State Hydrometeorological Institute in the VEPAR project, Branka Ivančan-Picek, director of DHMZ, concluded: “Our mission in this society is to monitor weather, water, climate, soil and analysis to warn the whole society in time. We expect that this project will lead to the improvement and advancement of numerical and mathematical models for flood forecasting. We are extremely glad that this will result in another quality product for the Republic of Croatia and the well-being of all citizens. "