Flood Preparedness: Time to Get Our Act Together!
Well, well, well! It seems that the question isn’t “if” floods are coming, but “when” they’ll burst in like an uninvited relative at a family reunion. And who could’ve known that Germany’s low mountain valleys would be at the center of this watery drama? Let’s roll up our sleeves and dive into the juicy details of the KAHR project—because if we’re going to be flooded, we might as well know how to keep the lights on, right?
Climate Change: The Unwanted Guest
Climate change is racing ahead like a toddler on a sugar high, and it’s got the entire planet shaking in its galoshes. After the catastrophic floods that swept through North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate in 2021, it’s clear that communities need to brace themselves for more chaos. And hey, if you’re not prepared, you might even find yourself doing the backstroke in your living room!
Meet Fabian Dolfus: Flood Expert Extraordinaire
Enter Mr. Fabian Dolfus from Westnetz—our beacon of hope in this soggy mess. He’s diving into the depths of flood preparedness with the KAHR project, offering up a lifeline filled with tips and tricks to keep the power on when Mother Nature decides to throw a tantrum. So what’s the magic formula to handle those raging waters? Let’s break it down!
1. Keep an Eye on the Weather—You Don’t Want to be Caught with Your Pants Down!
First off, monitor the weather as if you’re stalking an ex on social media. You need to know what’s brewing out there in the clouds to react appropriately. This isn’t just any party; it’s the “We’ve Got Flooding to Deal With” soirée. If you’ve got a handle on the situation, you can effectively strategize your next steps and regain control quicker than you can say “slip ‘n’ slide.”
2. Power Off—Like a Responsible Adult
Next on the list is shutting off the power in flooded areas like it’s a light switch at a rave—quick and in a controlled manner. This isn’t just for fun; it’s a safety measure to prevent electric shocks. Just imagine the chaos if you ended up with a side serving of electrocution along with your flood of confusion? Not what anyone signed up for.
3. Warnings: Because Knowledge is Power
Lastly, we need to be shouting warnings louder than a mother at a baseball game! Before floods hit, every possible notification must be made. You want people to skedaddle to safety without stopping for selfies! A robust communication system that survives the floods is essential—it’s about keeping the power running even when the very ground is giving way beneath you.
Municipalities: Time to Step Up!
Alright, municipalities—let’s get real. It’s time to look closely at which parts of your electrical grid are prone to get wet. It’s not just about avoiding bad neighborhoods for your power lines but also planning for those “little” floods that tend to sneak up like a cat in the night. Seriously, you wouldn’t want to be caught with your wires out, would you?
The Ahr Valley: A Dress Rehearsal for Disaster!
Especially in the Ahr Valley, which was left reeling post-2021 floods, proper planning is key. Creating emergency plans based on the previous chaos before more big floods come knocking is like putting on a raincoat before it starts drizzling—sensible and necessary!
Aha Moment: Cable Innovations
What enlightening insights have we gleaned from the KAHR project? Well, it seems that installing cables with shrink tubes can actually keep water out better than a well-fitted pair of rain boots! Who knew? This little tidbit could be just the trick to ensure operations don’t come to a soggy halt after the floodwater recedes.
Conclusion: A Pep Talk on Flood Preparedness
So, the message is clear: the next flood is inevitable, and time waits for no one. Whether you’re discussing the mercury rising or the water level doing likewise, it’s all about being ahead of the game. Let’s arm ourselves with knowledge, plans, and a solid understanding of how to protect our electric lifelines. And remember: if you can’t swim, at least be prepared to float—savour the humor in the madness and let’s tackle this challenge like the wacky heroes we are!
In the end, let’s raise a glass (filled with water, of course) to our efforts – may we never find ourselves flushed with panic!
It is no longer a question of if, but rather when the next flood will come. That is why low mountain valleys in Germany also have to prepare more for floods and floods. © pixabay – 1923196
Climate change is accelerating and the effects are becoming more and more visible. After the 2021 flood disaster in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, the question now is how communities in low mountain valleys can better prepare for more frequent and more intense floods. The KAHR project, funded by the BMBF, supports reconstruction and long-term disaster prevention on site with scientific expertise and 13 cooperation partners. The newly published KAHR brochure shows municipalities, electricity suppliers and emergency services how the electricity supply can be protected from heavy rain and floods in the medium and long term. The practical help was created together with the energy supplier Westnetz – including Westnetz employee Fabian Dolfus.
Mr. Dolfus, on over 60 pages you have spoken to other experts from the KAHR
Project a guide with crucial insights and practical tips
compiled. What are the three most important measures for this?
Power supply in the event of heavy rain or flooding and why?
Firstly, the weather situation must be monitored closely in order to obtain a precise overview of the situation and thus be able to react early. This is why an overview of the overall situation is so important so that you can accurately assess what measures need to be taken next. The primary goal is to get the situation under control as quickly as possible.
Secondly, in the event of flooding in flooded power grid areas, the power supply must ideally be switched off in a controlled manner shortly or immediately when the flood occurs. On the one hand, this ensures that no one is injured by an electric shock, for example. And on the other hand, it can be avoided in this way that automatic large-scale shutdowns by protective devices lead to a kind of “domino effect” and unaffected parts are also switched off.
The third immediate measure does not have anything directly to do with protecting the power supply, but is still extremely important: before the flood occurs, detailed warnings must be issued so that the affected people can get to safety as quickly as possible. To achieve this, climate-resilient communication structures must be built that can be supplied with electricity even in the event of a flood.
What advice do you have for municipalities that want to protect their power grids preventively? Where can they start?
In this work, we particularly focused on the Ahr Valley in Rhineland-Palatinate, which, among other things, was so badly affected by the 2021 flood disaster. But not only in the Ahr Valley but throughout Germany the question is no longer whether a flood is coming, but rather when the next big flood will come. It is therefore important to get a precise overview now of which parts of the power grid are in flood-prone areas. The supposedly rarer floods should also be expressly taken into account.
This means emergency plans can be drawn up more precisely and countermeasures can be planned and prepared in advance – as far as possible.
In addition, when planning the power grid, areas at risk of flooding should be avoided as much as possible. It is important to integrate such areas of the network into the rest of the power network in such a way that they can either be easily switched over during floods or can be supplied with electricity for even longer. Even after the flooding has ended, the affected areas should be able to be reconnected to the power grid more quickly.
What new insights have you gained about protection through the KAHR project?
the power grids gain?
The close exchange between science and practice has provided important new insights and the different approaches have shed light on the challenges from several sides. This has resulted in simple but very effective measures that make it possible to protect power grids from flooding in the long term. When installing cables, for example, they can be provided with an additional shrink tube so that less water penetrates the cable and thus reduces operational problems after a flood.