Flood proof wells. Guidelines for the design and operation of water abstraction wells in areas at risk of flooding. PREPARED 2011.007

“River floods are the most common natural disaster in Europe, and flood damage is expected to increase in the next decades. Water well fields are among the assets at risk, and flooding of wells may obstruct the supply of safe and sufficient water in affected areas. Most important risks are microbiological infection of the raw water and interruption of the power supply. There are several pathways through which flood water may mix with the production water, either directly via leakage through the infrastructure, or indirectly after infiltration of flood water into underlying aquifers. All these routes should be considered in a risk analysis.
To safeguard the water supply during floods, the design of water wells should be adjusted. In addition, it is essential to have clear management procedures before, during and after floods. These should be drafted in a contingency plan, providing clear instructions on how and when to act, for all persons and institutions involved. With a clear contingency plan and the appropriate technical design, water supply can be assured during floods. Many of the technical measures are relatively easy to implement, such that with little cost investment existing well fields can be made flood proof already.”

(Citation: Rambags, F., Raat, K.J., Leunk, I., van den Berg, G.A. – Flood proof wells. Guidelines for the design and operation of water abstraction wells in areas at risk of flooding – PREPARED 2011.007 – D5.2.1 (2011))