Flood polders built by Military Forests and Estates (VLM) once again serve as flood defences for local residents

The flood polders or flood water retention basins built by state-owned and MOD-run Military Forests and Estates (VLM) in the Levoča Hills once again served as flood defences for local residents as intense thunderstorms, accompanied by heavy downpours and hailstorms, resulted in rising water levels over the past weekend. According to available data, the rainfall rate reached 16mm per hour in a number of locations.

In a statement, Defence Minister Martin Sklenár said: “In every such event, we become more and more convinced of the importance and benefit of flood structures and defences, without which there would be a threat of tidal waves, large-scale floods and landslides. We are thankful to Military Forests and Estates that the villages surrounding the Levoča Hills did not have to face any of such scenarios. This is what a genuine interest in the safety of our citizens and their property should look like in practice.”

In 2015, VLM built 11 flood polders and 230 technical and biotechnical structures on the streams across what was the former Javorina Military District. After heavy rainfalls, VLM conducts inspection and site maintenance operations with the use of its own assets, removing debris-flow and sediment deposits so as to keep the retention capacity of the flood polders as large as possible, as well as removing the floating debris that can prevent the accumulated flood water from passing through the polder's overflow channel (spillway).

Director General of Military Forests and Estates Ján Jurica said: “The system of flood measures operated in this area by state-owned company Military Forests and Estates since 2015 once again fulfilled the task of retaining rainfall runoff and reducing flood waves in the flood poldersʼ capacity. Previously, this natural element had surprised us with its unpredictability many times and had caused a lot of damage. Yet, thanks to the measures in place, we have managed to keep the risk of a natural disaster to a minimum.”

VLM is working to strengthen the network of its flood polders, with investments divided into two stages. Stages 1 and 2 will see the construction of another six flood polders on the Ľubica River and an additional ten in the Levoča Hills, respectively. The projects will be co-financed from EU funds and VLM's budget. The projects are now ready and VLM will soon apply for a non-refundable grant from the European Commission-approved “Slovakia 2021- 2027” Operational Programme.