Hungary: New dam to be constructed to protect Esztergom from floods

The General Directorate of Water Management is starting the initial phase of a new dam to protect Esztergom in northwest Hungary, as the government allocated HUF 13.8. The project is crucial as the existing flood defenses were built in the 1910s and upgraded in the 1960s. Despite this situation, numerous floods have occurred since then.

The current systems of protection are not high enough to handle major floods, while there is no space left for further development along the original route. Following the project, about one and a half kilometers of flood systems of protection on Prímás Island will be constructed. In the developed zones, near the Danube Promenade, they will put up parapet walls and movable flood protection walls to protect the city. In the natural areas, they will construct embankments.

In addition, it should be mentioned that they are planning to plant a new forest spanning 1.1 hectares, restore 11 hectares of habitat, and dedicate three hectares to managing invasive plants in order to reimburse for the trees that will be cut down.

Moreover, in September 2023, they signed another contract for phase two, which aims to link the new protection line to the existing dams and safeguard landmarks like the Primate’s Palace and Elisabeth Park. The second phase also involves building a seepage system for the Primate’s Palace and numerous urban development projects.