{"id":21161,"date":"2023-04-04T13:23:46","date_gmt":"2023-04-04T12:23:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/2023\/04\/historicke-povodne-na-rakovnickem-potoce\/"},"modified":"2024-08-19T18:15:03","modified_gmt":"2024-08-19T17:15:03","slug":"historicke-povodne-na-rakovnickem-potoce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/2023\/04\/historicke-povodne-na-rakovnickem-potoce\/","title":{"rendered":"Historic floods on Rakovnick\u00fd stream"},"content":{"rendered":"

This\u00a0year, TGM WRI is\u00a0planning to\u00a0publish a\u00a0book by\u00a0Ka\u0161p\u00e1rek, Elleder, \u0160\u00edrov\u00e1, Dragoun, and Ka\u0161p\u00e1rek Jr., dedicated to\u00a0floods in\u00a0the\u00a0Rakovnick\u00fd stream basin. It is\u00a0primarily focused on\u00a0the\u00a0occurrence of\u00a0floods before the\u00a0start of\u00a0instrumental observation, that is\u00a0before 1898. Its purpose is\u00a0to\u00a0maximally expand knowledge about the\u00a0frequency, seasonality, and most significant flood cases, their causes, extent, impact, and damage over the\u00a0last 500 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

In\u00a0periods from which less data and descriptions have been preserved in\u00a0the\u00a0studied basin, the\u00a0authors try to\u00a0follow up on\u00a0documented floods in\u00a0another, lower part of\u00a0the\u00a0basin, or\u00a0in\u00a0another, geographically close basin.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0oldest mentions and documents of\u00a0the\u00a0occurrence of\u00a0floods that have affected the\u00a0area of\u00a0the\u00a0current Czech Republic usually come from the\u00a015th and 16th centuries (with the\u00a0exception\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0capital city of\u00a0Prague, where floods are documented since the\u00a012th century), which also applies to\u00a0flood events in\u00a0the\u00a0Rakovnick\u00fd stream basin. The\u00a0authors of\u00a0the\u00a0book divided the\u00a0observed period into\u00a0three time stages, mainly according to\u00a0the\u00a0preservation\u00a0of\u00a0sources, which was\u00a0positively influenced by\u00a0the\u00a0period of\u00a0Renaissance humanism in\u00a0the\u00a016th century, and negatively by\u00a0protracted wars during the\u00a017th century.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0first period<\/strong> covers the\u00a0years 1496 to\u00a01620, while the\u00a0first traceable record of\u00a0the\u00a0flood situation\u00a0in\u00a0Rakovn\u00edk and the\u00a0surrounding area describes the\u00a0demolition\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0so-called \u201cJilh\u00e1nek mill\u201d, whose location, however, is\u00a0uncertain\u00a0today. For\u00a0example, the\u00a0flood in\u00a0the\u00a0summer of\u00a01531 is\u00a0significant, which had extreme consequences and was\u00a0somewhat similar in\u00a0scope to\u00a0the\u00a0much better-known and later flood in\u00a01872.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0subsequent dry period is\u00a0also worth mentioning, especially the\u00a0years 1536 and 1540, which was\u00a0known throughout Central Europe as\u00a0the\u00a0driest year of\u00a0the\u00a016th century.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0preservation\u00a0of\u00a0reports and documents about the\u00a0occurrence of\u00a0floods in\u00a0the\u00a0second period<\/strong> (after the\u00a0Battle of\u00a0White Mountain\u00a0in\u00a01620), is\u00a0strongly influenced by\u00a0unfavourable political developments, especially the\u00a030 Years War and the\u00a0subsequent deep transformation\u00a0of\u00a0society. The\u00a0adverse circumstances of\u00a0this\u00a0coldest period, the\u00a0so-called \u201cLittle Ice Age\u201d, led to\u00a0a\u00a0decline in\u00a0chronicling. In\u00a0the\u00a0available historical annals, there are only documents and references to\u00a0significant regional floods in\u00a0May 1651 and February 1655, but they are only very brief or\u00a0indirect. It was\u00a0not until the\u00a0end of\u00a0the\u00a017th century that two catastrophic torrential floods are documented, occurring not long after each other. The\u00a0first one occurred on\u00a030 June 1694, and probably the\u00a0worst flood in\u00a0the\u00a0history of\u00a0Rakovn\u00edk took place after midnight on\u00a022 July 1698. As\u00a0a\u00a0result of\u00a0the\u00a0torrential rain, the\u00a0Jesenice ponds burst and it caused severe damage to\u00a0the\u00a0town of\u00a0Rakovn\u00edk, including deep flooding of\u00a0the\u00a0square, as\u00a0well as\u00a0loss of\u00a0life.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0third period<\/strong> \u2013 and best documented \u2013 is\u00a0the\u00a018th and 19th centuries. In\u00a0the\u00a0third chapter, an overview of\u00a0archival sources on\u00a0floods is\u00a0supplemented by\u00a0inundation\u00a0in\u00a0some nearby\u00a0basins (Lod\u011bnice, Bakovsk\u00fd stream, St\u0159ela, and Javornice), which document the\u00a0occurrence of\u00a0more frequent flash floods, for\u00a0example in\u00a01743, 1744, 1752, 1762, 1763, 1783, and 1796. In\u00a0the\u00a019th century, more significant summer floods occurred in\u00a01824, 1837, 1852, 1872, and 1882. The\u00a0flood event of\u00a0June 1824 is\u00a0important, extremely affecting both the\u00a0entire Berounka basin\u00a0and Prague on\u00a0the\u00a0Vltava river. The\u00a0well-known March flood of\u00a0\u201cEuropean dimensions\u201d from 1845 had severe effects on\u00a0Rakovn\u00edk as\u00a0well; it shows from the\u00a0context that it\u00a0surpassed previous events in\u00a0the\u00a019th century. In\u00a0addition\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0May flash flood of\u00a01852, the\u00a0study looks in\u00a0detail at the\u00a0well-documented and exceptionally extreme event of\u00a01872. It is\u00a0one of\u00a0the\u00a0biggest Czech disasters that affected the\u00a0Berounka basin\u00a0below Pilsen, with huge flows on\u00a0the\u00a0Litavka, St\u0159ela, Rakovnick\u00fd stream, and other tributaries of\u00a0the\u00a0Berounka. The\u00a0flood was\u00a0caused by\u00a0torrential downpours of\u00a0an exceptionally large area and intensity. From the\u00a0point of\u00a0view of\u00a0Rakovnick\u00fd stream, it is\u00a0important that the\u00a0area affected by\u00a0the\u00a0extreme rainfall reached from Jesenice district up to\u00a0Senomaty. Since the\u00a0study was\u00a0created more than ten years ago, we will leave some details until the\u00a0final text. The\u00a0authors clarified or\u00a0expanded some facts against the\u00a0original manuscript. Some of\u00a0the\u00a0historical cases (1872) are already included in\u00a0the\u00a0Krolmus-MEF (Map of\u00a0Extreme Floods) application\u00a0[https:\/\/chmi.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/MapSeries\/index.html?appid=dc50b65b4483465cb98c50d4b55df75d], others will be added to\u00a0it in\u00a0the\u00a0near future (1531, 1824, and 1845).<\/span><\/p>\n

Documentary sources also reveal the\u00a0interesting fact that the\u00a0flood of\u00a0May\u00a01872 in\u00a0Rakovn\u00edk, despite its extraordinary and devastating nature, apparently did not reach as\u00a0high a\u00a0water level as\u00a0that of\u00a0the\u00a0summer of\u00a01698. This\u00a0follows from the\u00a0description\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0flooding of\u00a0the\u00a0square, the\u00a0height of\u00a0which did not undergo significant changes. In\u00a01698, the\u00a0water level reached a\u00a0height of\u00a0about 150 cm in\u00a0the\u00a0square and a\u00a0number of\u00a0houses there were completely destroyed.<\/span><\/p>\n

As\u00a0far as\u00a0damages are concerned, then telling proof\u00a0of\u00a0dynamic effects, or\u00a0reached speeds and high-water level, there is\u00a0damage or\u00a0collapse of\u00a0ponds. This\u00a0is, on\u00a0the\u00a0one hand, a\u00a0consequence, and on\u00a0the\u00a0other, an aggravating factor\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0flood.<\/span><\/p>\n

As\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0number of\u00a0victims, the\u00a0figures for\u00a0the\u00a0two most significant floods from 1872 and 1698 are quite comparable. However, it is\u00a0difficult to\u00a0compare the\u00a0material damage caused by\u00a0these two floods; in\u00a01698 it was\u00a0estimated at\u00a03,000 guldens in\u00a0Senomaty, and in\u00a01872 at 80,000 guldens. The\u00a0authors documented and targeted markers in\u00a0the\u00a0lower part of\u00a0the\u00a0basin\u00a0and attempted to\u00a0estimate the\u00a0peak flow of\u00a025 May 1872.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span>The destroyed bridge of the Bu\u0161t\u011bhrad Railway, the flood of 1872<\/h6>\n

The\u00a0seasonality of\u00a0floods is\u00a0also worth mentioning. Summer cases significantly predominate, with floods in\u00a0May, June, and July. As\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0cause, it\u00a0was\u00a0often short torrential rains, to\u00a0a\u00a0lesser extent also regional and more permanent. Significant winter floods are recorded only in\u00a01595 and 1845, although we can assume that the\u00a0absence of\u00a0evidence of\u00a0extreme floods is\u00a0more indicative of\u00a0the\u00a0insufficiency of\u00a0chroniclers\u2019 sources of\u00a0that time.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0forthcoming book about Rakovnick\u00fd stream basin\u00a0will also contain\u00a0many quotes from old chronicles as\u00a0well as\u00a0beautiful period pictures and photographs; the\u00a0basin\u00a0has\u00a0changed significantly over time, especially with regard to\u00a0the\u00a0disappearance of\u00a0ponds, the\u00a0disappearance of\u00a0coal mining, and changes in\u00a0agriculture.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0materials for\u00a0the\u00a0book are based on\u00a0the\u00a0results of\u00a0the\u00a0project \u201cPossibilities of\u00a0mitigating the\u00a0current consequences of\u00a0climate change by\u00a0improving the\u00a0storage capacity in\u00a0the\u00a0Rakovnick\u00fd stream basin\u00a0(pilot project)\u201d<\/span>, financed under No.\u00a0QH\u00a091247 by\u00a0the\u00a0National Agricultural Research Agency (NAZV) of\u00a0the\u00a0Ministry of\u00a0Agriculture of\u00a0the\u00a0Czech Republic in\u00a02009\u20132011.<\/span><\/p>\n

This informative article has not been peer-reviewed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This\u00a0year, TGM WRI is\u00a0planning to\u00a0publish a\u00a0book by\u00a0Ka\u0161p\u00e1rek, Elleder, \u0160\u00edrov\u00e1, Dragoun, and Ka\u0161p\u00e1rek Jr., dedicated to\u00a0floods in\u00a0the\u00a0Rakovnick\u00fd stream basin. It is\u00a0primarily focused on\u00a0the\u00a0occurrence of\u00a0floods before the\u00a0start of\u00a0instrumental observation, that is\u00a0before 1898. Its purpose is\u00a0to\u00a0maximally expand knowledge about the\u00a0frequency, seasonality, and most significant flood cases, their causes, extent, impact, and damage over the\u00a0last 500 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":18592,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[86],"tags":[674,842,3115],"coauthors":[2416],"class_list":["post-21161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hydraulics-hydrology-and-hydrogeology","tag-floods","tag-history","tag-rakovnicky-stream"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21161"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21161\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32073,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21161\/revisions\/32073"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21161"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=21161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}