Flood protection projects rev up

After the fires, the floods come, as per folk wisdom and as scientists confirm. Characteristically, professor of Natural Disaster Management and president of OASP, Mr. Efthymios Lekkas, sounded the “alarm”, after the catastrophic fires that are raging throughout the country, asking for preparedness for flood phenomena that will follow the destruction of forest land. It is the second act of destruction, as the professor described it.

Over the past decade, the lives of more than 16,000 people have been affected by climate change-related phenomena. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has already launched the package of flood protection projects in Attica, Thessaloniki, and Corinth, areas located in the “red” zone, with the contribution of the Hellenic Investment Bank, which amounts to a total of 150 million euros, completing a a total of € 430 million combining European Structural Funds resources. The projects will shield areas where 500,000 citizens live and work.

A  1.5 billion euro project package

Also, the flood protection works around the major highways that have already been contracted in the last two years, as the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Mr. Costas Karamanlis, recently said in the context of the parliamentary debate, amount to 350 million euros, while new projects amounting to 250 million euros have already been approved by the Interministerial Committee for Major Works.

Overall the flood protection plan designed by the relevant ministry amounts to about 1.5 billion euros. According to Mr. Karamanlis, this is one of the largest programs in the European Union. To deal with the adverse effects of climate change, all available tools are being utilized: Program for Public Investments and Recovery Fund, private financing, loans, PPPs and concessions.

The National Recovery Plan has already included € 110 million in flood protection projects, with the aim of reducing flood risks and providing water for irrigation purposes in areas with high drought during the summer and enhancing effective water management in selected areas: Crete, Western Greece, Peloponnese, Central Macedonia.

The contribution of the large program of irrigation projects with PPPs will be important, which will be strengthened with 200 million euros from the Recovery Fund, and concerns the construction and modernization of dams, irrigation networks, reservoirs, etc. The goal is the smart management of water resources and the saving of available stocks. The total budget of the projects will amount to 750 million euros.

Five new projects up for auction

Also, the Ministry of Infrastructure proceeded to the auction of four important projects from the set of 10 mentioned above and which include two long-awaited projects in the greater area of ​​Thessaloniki, one in Attica and one in the Prefecture of Corinth. Also, an irrigation project was auctioned in the Prefecture of Florina. Their total budget reaches 193 million euros.

These are new projects that will contribute to tackling climate change, but will also prevent illegal and unregulated irrigation, promoting organized, sustainable and efficient agricultural production.

The following are detailed:

Flood protection project in Attica

The “Rafina Stream Demarcation” project has a budget of 86 million euros and is co-financed by the Hellenic Investment Bank, the CEB and the NSRF. The object of the project is the regulation of the Rafina stream, in order to manage the flood waters and to ensure the flood protection of the adjacent urban, suburban, and rural areas. The proposed settlement works of the Rafina stream concern a length of 15 km, from its estuary to Spaton Avenue, and the contributing streams of Kallitechnoupolis, Valanari, Paleos Mylos and Agia Paraskevi.

Two flood defenses in the area of ​​Lachanagora and in Kalamaria of Thessaloniki

The first flood control project “Rainwater drainage in the area of ​​the Vegetable Market of  Thessaloniki prefecture”, has a budget of 31 million euros and is co-financed by the Hellenic Investment Bank, CEB and the NSRF. The purpose of this project is the drainage of rainwater in the wider area of ​​Lachanagora (Dendropotamos, Diavata Trench, Gonou Camp, Kalochori Settlement), for its most effective and best flood protection.

The second project “Rainwater Works of Kalamaria – Phase B” in Kalamaria has a budget of 10.5 million euros and is co-financed by the Hellenic Investment Bank, CEB and the NSRF. The purpose is the diversion of rainwater from the wider area of ​​Pontou Street to the Peripheral Trench of the Municipality of Kalamaria with a final outlet to the Thermaic Gulf.

Flood protection project in the Prefecture of Corinth

The project “Flood Protection Projects of the Greater Loutraki Area” has a budget of 20.7 million euros and is co-financed by the EIB, CEB and the NSRF. The project includes the settlement of the Katounistra, Prathi and Kareli streams in the Prefecture of Corinth and some additional work within them to address the flood problems that occurred.

Irrigation project in the Prefecture of Florina

In the Prefecture of Florina, the project “Irrigation Networks of Triantaphyllia” is being auctioned with a budget of 44 million euros and is financed by the Rural Development Program 2014-2020, NSRF (OP / YMEPERAA). This project concerns supply projects and the necessary irrigation and drainage networks to serve approximately 18,000 acres of farms within the irrigation perimeter.

Meanwhile, today the works for the arrangement of the Erasinos and Agios Georgios streams in Markopoulo are under construction, signed a few days ago, with the contractor Hellenic Hydro-construction, Agios Georgios Giannoulas in Thriasio Pedio and Eschatia in the Municipality of Acharnes-Fili under contractor INTRAKAT.