Natural flood reduction strategies – a challenge

Flood hazard and vulnerability to floods tend to increase in many areas, due to changes in socio‐economic, and physical – especially climatic – systems. Therefore, increasing attention is being paid to upgrading flood protection systems. As in many vulnerable areas sufficient flood protection cannot be reached with the help of structural means only, further flood damage reduction via non‐structural measures is advisable. The most essential principles in natural flood reduction strategies are illustrated by the slogans “keep water where it falls” and “give rivers their floodplains back”, both being widely discussed in Germany, especially after the destructive flooding of August 2002. Examples of implementation of natural flood reduction strategies are presented.