U.S.- Italy Research Workshop on the

Hydrometeorology, Impacts, and Management of Extreme Floods

Perugia (Italy), November 1995

EXTREME FLOODS IN "THE HEARTH OF EUROPE":

THE CASE OF THE 1995 MEUSE FLOOD

J.E. Berlamont

Hydraulics Laboratory

Katholieke University of Leuven

de Croylaan 2

B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium

In January 1994 and January 1995 extreme water levels and discharges occurred in the Meuse River in the "Heart of Europe" due to unusual weather patterns over Southern Belgium. The return period of the referred floods was estimated to be about twenty years. It appears that the return period of unusual floods have been decreasing over the years due to antropogenic effects. The impacts of the 1994 and 1995 floods have been different over different parts of the country. In the Southern hilly part (the Ardennes), part of the valley was flooded without exceptional damage, while in the Northern flatter part no flooding beyond the floodplain occurred in 1995, except for some problems due to rising of groundwater tables. A global strategy is necessary to manage floods in the Meuse River in the future. Existing flood forecasting models should become operational. A number of emergency strategies should be established. In addition, before any new measures are undertaken, such as those related to gravel mining and widening of riverbed, careful studies should be done to predict reliably the marginal effect of any new measure.