PROTECTION OF LAND AGAINST EROSION AND TORRENTS, 2005

 

The total surface area of flooded land in 2005 was 2 964 ha, of that 2 310 ha of arable land, 22 settlements, 149 buildings, 15 industrial facilities, 20 other business facilities and 71 km of roads.

 

All presented values depended on weather conditions.

 

In 2005, the surface area affected by erosion was slightly smaller than in 2004 and amounted to 4 852 km2. The surface area of treated land was 161 km2, which means that it was 30% less than in the previous year. The surface area of non-treated land decreased by 6% than in the previous year, that is, it was 2 552 km2.

 

In 2005, there were 1 557 torrents, which means that their number slightly increased, as compared to 2004. The surface area of watersheds decreased by 11%, that is, it was 16 989 km2, while the length of watercourses increased by 1% (that is, it was 2 838 km).

 

Out of the total number of torrents, there were 162 treated ones, which means that their number decreased by 4%, as compared to the year 2004. The surface area of treated watersheds was 2 674 km2, which presents an increase of 31%, as compared to 2004. The length of watercourses was 518 km, which means that in comparison to the previous year it increased by 4%.

 

In 2005, the technical-biological treatments of watersheds included construction of roofs, terraces, walls etc. (3 pieces), the melioration of forests (2 ha) and the melioration of meadows and pastures (86 ha, which is the same as in 2004).

 

Works in beds of torrents in 2005 resulted in building of 1 818 diagonal facilities (3% less than in the previous year) and the volume of materials used amounted to 91 157 m3 (7% more than in 2004).

 

In 2005, there were 19% less (136) longitudinal facilities built than in 2004, while the total length was 159 km (that is, 42% more than in the previous year). The total quantity of the material required for the construction of longitudinal facilities amounted to
31 998 m3 (19% less than in the previous year).

 

 

1.   LAND AREA AND FACILITIES FLOODED BY TORRENTS AND MOUNTAIN WATERS

 

2004.

2005.

Indices

2005.
2004.

 

 

 

 

Total land area, ha

451

2 964

657

Cultivated area, ha

152

2 310

1 520

Settlements

12

22

183

Buildings

54

149

276

Industrial facilities

-

15

-

Other business facilities

-

20

-

Railway lines, km

-

-

-

Roads, km

35

71

203

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.   ERODED LAND AND TORRENTS (situation as on 31 December)

 

2004.

2005.

Indices

2005.
2004.

 

 

 

 

Eroded land

 

 

 

  Land area under erosion, km2

4 903

4 852

99

  Treated land, km2

230

161

70

  Non-treated land, km2

2 708

2 552

94

Torrents

 

 

 

  Situation according to the List of   Torrents

 

 

 

      Total number of torrents

1 555

1 557

100

      Surface area of watershed, km2

19 172

16 989

89

      Length of watercourse, km

2 816

2 838

101

Treated torrents

 

 

 

  Total number of torrents

169

162

96

  Surface area of watershed, km2

2 042

2 674

131

Length of watercourse

495

518

104

 

 

 

 

3.   TREATMENT OF WATERSHEDS AND TORRENTS (situation as on 31 December)

 

2004.

2005.

Indices

2005.
2004.

 

 

 

 

Technical and biological works on watershed

 

 

 

Roofs, terraces, walls etc., p/st

-

3

-

Melioration of forests

-

2

-

  Melioration of meadows and pastures, ha

86

86

100

Works in torrent beds

 

 

 

  Diagonal facilities built

 

 

 

      Total number of facilities

1 874

1 818

97

      Total materials used, m3

85 589

91 157

107

  Longitudinal facilities built

 

 

 

      Total number of facilities

167

136

81

      Total length, km

112

159

142

      Total materials used, m3

39 460

31 998

81

 

 

 

 

 

.

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

 

Source and methods of data collection

 

Data on the protection of land against erosion and the treatment of torrents are collected by using the reporting method on the Report on the Protection against Erosion and Treatment of Torrents (VOD-ER form).

 

Reporting units are legal entities and parts thereof engaged, according to the Act on Waters (NN, No. 107/95), in water management, that is, the protection against harmful effects of waters and the treatment of watercourses (the National Classification of Activities, 2002 version, Section F, Class 45.24).

 

Coverage and comparability

 

Statistical surveys are carried out on the basis of the full coverage. The Register of Business Entities is used as a source for making the address book.

 

Surveys provide data on land areas and facilities flooded by torrent and mountain waters, eroded land and torrents as well as on treatment of watersheds and torrents.

 

Definitions

 

Flood of torrent and mountain waters is an unexpected flooding of a certain area by water produced in torrent flows and by concentration of mountain waters, characterised by an abrupt flows of water, huge quantity of deposited stone and silt and a great destructive power that occurs immediately after heavy local showers and rapid melting of snow, which can also do harm to water courses.

 

Total flooded area includes all categories of land: arable land and gardens, orchards, vineyards, meadows and pastures, fish ponds, reed-patches and ponds, forest soil and infertile soil, that is, fertile and infertile soil that is being protected against these waters.

 

Cultivated land includes arable land and gardens, orchards, vineyards and meadows.

 

Settlement is an anthropographic unit given a specific name according to the valid list of settlements, irrespective of the number of houses.

 

Buildings include non-business buildings and facilities (residential buildings, schools etc.).

 

Industrial facilities are presented in regard to the number of buildings and facilities used in the industrial production as well as the number of outdoor warehouses.

 

Other business facilities include the number of all buildings and facilities used in other economic branches (excluding industry), such as agricultural facilities, warehouses, trade facilities, transport facilities etc.

 

Railway lines refer to all lines of standard and narrow tracks presented in kilometres.

 

Roads refer to the length of all roads (main, regional and local).

 

Erosion of land is a common natural phenomenon that occurs on steep terrains at rapid melting of snow and heavy rains. On such terrains the water rapidly flows over the surface land, which causes destroying and rapid take off of loose ground.

 

Treated land refers to a land on which a new deposited matter is no longer washed away, slid down, carried or deposited.

 

Torrents are highland or mountain stream that rise during heavy rains and rapid melting of snow and hollow out beds by sliding down the banks and making gully.

 

Erosions are prevented by technical and biological works on watershed areas (construction of horizontal ditches, terraces, walls etc.).

 

Diagonal facilities refer to stone walls (made of cement or concrete), stone trunks and other materials.

 

Longitudinal facilities are low water beds in the wall, reinforced on both sides or in part by a stone wall, stone trunks, hurdles etc.

 

Abbreviations

ha      hectare

km    kilometre

km2    square kilometre

m3         cubic metre

NN     Narodne novine, official gazette of the Republic of Croatia

p/st    pieces/sticks

 

Symbols

- no occurrence