The 1714 flash flood in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands - Reconstructing a Catastrophe

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00020699%3A_____%2F20%3AN0000093" target="_blank" >RIV/00020699:_____/20:N0000093 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2019.02.002" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2019.02.002</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2019.02.002" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.quaint.2019.02.002</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

The 1714 flash flood in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands - Reconstructing a Catastrophe

Original language description

The flash flood that occurred at the end of July and beginning of August 1714 on the Sázava River in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands (550–750 metres above sea level) is probably the most important case of flooding in the Czech lands. The extremity of the flood is likely to be ranked among the most notable occurrences of extreme weather in history, even within the larger Central European context. In this study we have focused on the upper and middle parts of the Sázava catchment (approximately 2,000 km2). The aim of our study was to check of the reliability of the flood data in 1714. The main question was whether we should confirm or reject the possible dominant role played by local fishponds, especially the large Dářko fishpond. The extraordinarily high water levels documented by the chronicles were viewed a bit suspiciously at first. The hydraulic evaluation of the flood peak discharges and a reconstructed hydrograph, together with an envelope curve of maximum floods, have confirmed the reliability of the data recorded during the 1714 flood. The contribution of the collapsed fishponds was evaluated as a minor source of flooding. Therefore, the hydrological modelling enabled an estimation of causative precipitation equal to approximately 100 mm/3–4 hours as the main flood source. The estimated rainfall amount and peak discharge of 700–1,000 m3/s in the catchment area of 1,000 km2 are likely to be the main results of the study. We also present an overview of flash floods in Central Europe in 1714, a definition of the affected area on 31 July, the damage, fatalities and a possible scenario of the storm’s track. Our results indicate that the 1714 flood represented a unique extreme in Czech territory. The only comparable event appears to be the 25 May 1872 flood at the Berounka and Blšanka catchment.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10501 - Hydrology

Project

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Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2020

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Quaternary International

ISSN

1040-6182

e-ISSN

1040-6182

Volume of the periodical

538

Issue of the periodical within the volume

2

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

15

Pages from-to

14-28

UT code for WoS article

000535802400003

EID of the result in the Scopus database

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