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Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research

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Intenational Conference on Flood Protection and Heritage Conservation on Rivers and Streams in Dresden

Evidence of increasingly severe river floods in recent decades has spurred unprecedented efforts in Germany, Europe and many other regions of the world to reduce these threats through flood control measures. While there is general agreement that flood management should first of all be pursued by strengthening natural water retention, such efforts allow limited improvements for urbanized floodplains. Their execution often collides with other land-use concerns and requires long-range planning. Communities are therefore increasingly asking for protective structures to be built immediately along the endangered areas. River flood control techniques have been greatly improved in recent years, but such measures are usually extensive and structurally invasive. They may compromise urban design and landscape qualities, historic monuments and sites, and tourist appeal, and thus affect the quality of life and the overall value of a location. This aspect has not been sufficiently taken into consideration so far, and it is rarely considered adequately and early enough in planning such projects.

This international colloquium will address basic parameters and experiences from different geographic, political, economic and cultural contexts. Promising approaches and strategies for the preservation of urban and cultural landscapes along rivers and streams and for building environmentally-sound protection systems will be discussed. The following topics and questions are of special interest:

I. GOALS & CONFLICTS: General and specific problems of flood control in sensitive urban areas and cultural landscapes

II. APPROACHES: Strategies, processes, methods

III. SOLUTIONS: Technological and structural examples

The colloquium is intended to bring together scientists and planners from hydraulic engineering, heritage conservation, architecture, urban design and landscape architecture. Conference languages are English and German. Papers presented will be published in the conference proceedings.

Information and Registration: http://flood-heritage-2013.arch.tu-dresden.de/

Conference Program and Registration