Flood Risk Management - MZ330J01

• Title: Flood Risk Management
• Czech title: Povodně v krajině
• Guaranteed by: Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology (31-330)
• Faculty: Faculty of Science
• Actual: from 2025
• Semester: winter
• E-Credits: 4
• Examination process: winter s.:
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unlimited
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: yes
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: not taught
• Language: English
• Guarantor: prof. RNDr. Jakub Langhammer, Ph.D.
• Incompatibility : MZ330P134

Annotation

The course introduces students to the principles and contemporary approaches to flood risk management. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the components of flood risk – hazard, exposure, and vulnerability – and of the methods used to assess, forecast, and mitigate floods.
The course emphasizes integrated flood protection strategies, including technical, hydrological, and nature-based solutions, and their application in urban and rural environments. Special attention is given to the legislative and institutional framework of flood risk management, with reference to the EU Water Framework Directive and the Czech Water Act.
Case studies of recent extreme flood events will be discussed to illustrate practical challenges in crisis management and long-term planning.

Last update: Havelková Veronika, Mgr. (10.09.2025)

Literature

-    Maidment, D.R. (ed.). Handbook of Hydrology. McGraw-Hill, 1992.
-    Davie, T. Fundamentals of Hydrology. Routledge, 2019.
-    Dingman, S.L. Physical Hydrology. Waveland Press, 2015.
-    EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC).
-    Selected journal articles on integrated flood risk management.

Last update: Havelková Veronika, Mgr. (10.09.2025)

Syllabus

Block I – Fundamentals of flood risk
-    Introduction, typology of floods
-    Analysis of historical floods
-    Hydrological flood forecasting
-    River flood modeling

Block II – Environmental and geomorphological aspects
-    Changes of rainfall-runoff processes in headwater areas
-    Geomorphological changes of streams and floodplains due to floods
-    Biological succession and invasion processes triggered by floods
-    Effect of floodplain modifications on flooding

Block III – Flood impacts and mitigation
-    Flood damage: mapping, analysis, and modeling
-    Nature-based solutions for flood mitigation
-    Flood plans design
-    Flood response and crisis management

Block IV – Applied and practical part
-    Workshop: flood risk management case studies with presentation and discussion of student essays

Last update: Havelková Veronika, Mgr. (10.09.2025)

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
1.    Explain the fundamental concepts of flood risk (hazard, exposure, vulnerability).
2.    Understand hydrological and hydraulic methods for flood forecasting, modeling, and damage assessment.
3.    Evaluate the influence of land use, and floodplain modifications on flood risk.
4.    Critically assess structural, non-structural, and nature-based flood protection measures.
5.    Interpret legislative and policy frameworks in the context of flood risk management.

Last update: Havelková Veronika, Mgr. (10.09.2025)