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Location | Praha 1 - Old Town and Josefov Design | Hydroprojekt, a.s., Jiří Suchý Investor | Prague Municipality, Department of City Investor Costs | 45 mil. Kč General contractors | Vodní stavby Praha, a.s., stavební divize 03, Eko-systém, s.r.o., Zakládání staveb, a.s. Design | 1997-2000 Construction | 1999-2000 Technical characteristics | Length of R.H. river bank protection 2.8 km | Maximum mobile barrier height 2.8 m | Designed for the 1890 flood flow rate |
Flood protection in the Czech Republic is regulated by legislation. Moreover, the interest of the public and of the authorities - due to the obligations of water course administrators and administrative organs in endangered areas - was motivated by the catastrophic floods in Moravia (1997), East Bohemia (1998) and recently also in South, Central and North Bohemia (2002).
Prague decided to start working on flood protection in 1997. The adopted system of mobile barriers has made it possible to prevent damage to the property incI. cultural monuments without unfavourable interference with the historical part of the city.
The project assures comprehensive protection of the old Town and Josefov from the Jirásek Bridge to the Štefánik Bridge. It comprizes mobile barriers along Masaryk, Smetana and Na Františku embankments, the Karlovy lázně arcades, the passage to Divadelní Ulice street and the securing of the sluice near Lažanský Palace and Novotného lávka. The penetration of high water into the sewerage system has been prevented by gate chambers on the sewers near the National Threatre, Aleš Embankment and Na Františku embankment and the closing of the outlets of historical sewers.
The permanent part of the system enabling the installation of mobile barriers and protecting the secured area against water leakage under the barrier was embedded below the embankment level. On road surface only stone bearing pads 15 cm wide with 30 x 20 cm stainless steel anchor plates are visible. The mobile barrier components, comprising vertical steel posts with grooves for the insertion of tight-fitting horizontal aluminium planks are stored in containers on the premises of
the organization assuring the maintenance and organizing the installation of the barriers in case of imminent flood.
Apart from the described project also mobile barriers in the lowered part of Aleš Embankment were provided in the framework of the construction of the Four Seasons hotel. Their mobile components became the property of the City of Prague which assures their application.