The flood events from May 2014 in the area of županijska Posavina, caused by the penetration of the embankment at Rajevo Selo and at Račinovci, is the worst flood event to have occurred after the catastrophic flood of the Sava River in Zagreb in 1964, which highlighted difficulties in the functioning of the existing flood protection system. The greatest problems identified were the inadequate and non-uniform stability of the embankment foundation and the inability to access all embankment sections during the implementation of flood protection measures.
The Modernization of the Sava river project dikes along the total length of 236 km from Račinovci to Nova Gradiška and incorporates plans for implementing emergency measures. It puts forward the idea of constructing a berm, the function of which is to provide access to the embankment along the entire section and to have a positive effect on the stability of the embankment footing. The implementation of these measures is a very effective first step in the final solution for a flood protection system.
The contracting authority requesting preparation of the project documentation is Hrvatske vode, and the contractor is a consortium consisting of three renowned Croatian companies: VPB as its leading member, Geokon-Zagreb and the IGH as partners, whereas the Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning is the relevant institution for implementing administrative procedures and issuing permits.
The contract covers preparation of all necessary survey maps and reports (hydrological-hydraulic analysis, geomechanical exploratory works, geodetic surveys, subdivision report), preparation of project documentation at the level of preliminary, main and detailed designs, including project documentation, obtaining 18 location and 21 construction permits for the particular sections of the project, along with all the necessary cooperation and coordination for all sections of the project.
The geodetic project map will be surveyed using aerial photogrammetry – an unmanned aerial vehicle which, considering the length of the respective infrastructural project, makes this surveying project one of the largest projects of its kind in the world using an unmanned aerial vehicle.
The total length of the section is 236 km, which extends through two counties, 16 administrative municipalities, 40 cadastral municipalities, and involves more than 35 public bodies and 6 relevant ministries, including the complexity of all sections, makes this project the largest infrastructural project in Croatia in the domain of flood control.
