THE ROLE OF THE HYDRO-CLIMATIC CONDITIONS IN CAUSING HIGH FLOODS IN THE SUCEVIȚA RIVER CATCHMENT
HAPCIUC OANA, MINEA I., IOSUB MARINA, ROMANESCU GH.
ABSTRACT. – The role of the hydro-climatic conditions in causing high floods in the Sucevița river catchment. Located in the north-eastern part of Romania, the Suceviţa catchment has been affected in the last decade, by the most serious known high floods in the modern period of hydrological observations. The significant amounts of rainfall (260 mm in five days in 2008 and 150 mm in four days in 2010) have led to the formation of high floods that have affected large areas of land near the river course. These torrential rainfall led to the recording of maximum flows showing an increased tendency from 214 m3/s in 2007 to 467 m3/s in 2010 (reconstituted value exceeding the probability of occurrence of 0.1%). Even if the afforestation degree, at the level of the catchment and its tributaries, in the mountainous area, is over 80%, the morphometric conditions given by the average high values of the slopes (37-55‰) and also by the circularity ratio (0,60 – 0,73) generate a fast drainage of the precipitation water to the riverbeds. At the same time, the human activity increases the impact of flooding because of the activities carried out near watercourses. Flooding associated with these high floods have highlighted the vulnerability of the communities manifested by weak capacity to absorb the effects of the phenomenon and to recover after such events. Therefore, the high floods of 2008 and 2010 have caused extensive damage to the localities situated in the Sucevița river catchment.
Keywords: floods, river catchment, hydroclimatic conditions, human activities, hydrotechnical works.