Flood 2024. Peak wave on the Odra. Wrocław. Forecasts

The flood wave on the Odra River has reached Wroclaw on the night from Wednesday to Thursday. tvnmeteo.pl weather forecaster Arleta Unton-Pyziołek compared the climax wave on the Odra to a “mountain of water”.

– This whole mountain of water stretches over a hundred kilometers from the beginning. We solved the problem of a very high wave because we flattened it, but on the other hand there is a lot of water over a large area for a long time – explained the weather forecaster.

The culminating wave on the Odra was flattened as a result of the activity of the Racibórz Dolny retention reservoir.

The fact that the flattening of the wave – i.e. its reduced height, but also its extended duration – on the Odra is not good news was also pointed out a few days ago by the spokesman IMWM Grzegorz Walijewski.

– This [napierająca przez dłuższy czas woda – przyp. red.] may affect hydrotechnical devices, but above all flood embankments […]. The services have a lot of work ahead of them, they have to monitor the condition of devices and shafts, and if a leak appears, they have to react immediately – emphasized the spokesman of the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management.

The water level at the Trestno hydrological station, located just outside the capital of Lower Silesia, at 8:40 p.m. on Thursday was 639 centimetres. This is well above the alarm level of 450 cm.

– The water level at the Trestno hydrological station is relatively stable, as confirmed by our surveyors – Grzegorz Walijewski, hydrologist and spokesman for IMWM, said on Thursday evening in an interview with tvnmeteo.pl.

During the evening meeting of the crisis team on Thursday, IMWM director Robert Czerniawski said that in Opole, The shore and Olawa water level drops are already being observed, by 15, 8 and 6-8 cm, respectively. He added that when it comes to Wrocław and the surrounding rivers that flow into the Oder, the water level on the gauge has been stable for 12 hours between 639 and 642 cm. – Tomorrow, during the day, the first drops will be recorded in Wrocław – Czerniawski reported. He added that in the Oława and Ślęza rivers there is already a “quite significant drop”, and a small drop in Bystrzyca. He reported that in turn on the Widawa, which is a tributary of the Oder, the water level has risen by 60 cm, which – as he explained – is related to the so-called backwater from the Oder. He added that the Widawa has leveled off with the Oder and has not increased for several hours. – When the drop starts in Wrocław, then Widawa will also fall by necessity – he explained.

Czerniawski said that the situation is worrying in the lower measuring stations, below Wrocław. As he reported, the water gauge in Brzeg Dolny shows 906 centimetres, and it will be 950 cm. – If nothing happens to the embankment, we still have 120 centimetres in reserve – added the head of IMGW. – As for Malczyce and Ścinawa, (…) there will also be visible increases (…). In Malczyce we will observe an increase of 50 centimetres, at the moment it is 750 centimetres (…), we have 92 centimetres in reserve. In Ścinawa, from 538 centimetres observed now, on Friday evening there will be an increase to 650 centimetres, if nothing unforeseen happens, we have 80 centimetres in reserve – said Czerniawski.

In Brzeg Dolny the water gauge station recorded an alarm level of 909 cm at 8:50 p.m., and the forecast for the wave peak is 935-945 cm. – The peak wave will reach Brzeg on the night from Thursday to Friday – Grzegorz Walijewski told tvnmeteo.pl. The next places where it may be dangerous are Malczyce and Ścinawa.

According to Jan Szymankiewicz from IMWM, it will take several days for the flood wave to reach the mouth. Currently on the water gauge Szczecin The Long Bridge, located in the final section of the Odra River, has an average water level.

– We can expect such increases, related to the movement of this flood wave from the south of the country, at the end of the weekend or at the beginning of next week. – said IMWM hydrologist Jan Szymankiewicz. He added that initially these will be increases to the high water zone on Sunday and Monday.

– On Monday The warning level may be exceeded there, and in the following days also the alarm level. But this wave will rather be flattened and extended – the hydrologist reported.

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