Flood causes a huge loss of life and property. Waterborne diseases spread as a result of Floods causing health problems. Moreover, the destruction of roadways and infrastructure facilities, the disturbance of ecosystems, improper sewage systems all demand serious efforts of adopting sustainable measures.

Approach to flood management

Approaches to dealing with floods may be any one or a combination of the following available options:

• Attempts to modify the flood
• Attempts to modify the sus-acceptability to flood damage
• Attempts to modify the loss burden

·       Bearing the loss

The main thrust of the flood protection programme undertaken in India so far has been an attempt to modify the flood in the form of physical (structural) measures to prevent the floodwaters from reaching potential damage centres and modify susceptibility to flooding damage through early warning systems.

Structural measures

The following structural measures are generally adopted for flood protection:

• Embankments, flood walls, sea walls
• Dams and reservoirs
• Natural detention basins
• Channel improvement
• Drainage improvement
• Diversion of flood waters.

Of these measures, embankments are the most commonly undertaken in order to provide quick protection with locally available material and labour.

These embankments play an important role in providing reasonable protection to vulnerable areas.

Realizing the great potential of the reservoirs in impounding floods and regulating the flows downstream for flood moderation, flood control has been sought to be achieved as one of the objectives in multipurpose dams.

Non-structural measures

Non-structural measures include:

Flood forecasting and warning

Flood proofing

Flood insurance

Of all the non-structural measures for flood management which rely on the modification of susceptibility to flood damage, the one which is gaining increased/ sustained attention of planners and acceptance by the public is flood forecasting and warning, which enable forewarning as to when the river is going to use its floodplain, to what extent and for how long. 

Some other solutions could be:

Good Town Planning-

Engineers and architects should study the area and build structures that can withstand the challenges in the environment. Water systems should not be blocked and drainage systems must not be covered. Rainwater must be allowed to pass through smoothly in the town’s drainage system. A good drainage system offsets the effects of flash floods resulting in a safer area.

Afforestation-

The loss of trees and vegetation in strategic areas exacerbates what damage can flood cause. Trees, shrubs and grass help protect areas from a flood by moving water.