Bereg ash forest after a deliberate flood to address water shortages, photo credit: Boglárka Bicsák, Péter Kajner/WWF Hungary
Pilot project in eastern Hungary aims to tackle water scarcity and boost climate resilience through shallow forest flooding
We often picture destruction and crisis when we hear the word “flood”. Yet not all floods are bad. In many landscapes, natural flooding is essential: it nourishes soils, recharges groundwater, sustains forests and wetlands, and creates habitats for wildlife. Restoring controlled or seasonal flooding can help counteract the effects of drought, support biodiversity and make regions more resilient to climate change.
This summer, WWF-Hungary and partners took part in a pioneering pilot project in the Bereg region of eastern Hungary. The team deliberately flooded part of an ash forest to help address long-term water shortages. The intervention is part of wider efforts to adapt to a changing climate by restoring natural water dynamics in landscapes.
Speaking at the site near Gulács in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, Zsolt V. Németh, State Secretary for Water Management at the Ministry of Energy, said that recent weather patterns have shown that drought and water scarcity are no longer temporary phenomena but lasting challenges. “These are long-term issues that require agricultural, ecological, social and economic solutions,” he said.
Responding to drought
Earlier this year, the Hungarian government declared a drought emergency after a severe lack of rainfall affected almost the entire country. It authorised immediate water retention measures, allocating around €12 million (4.7 billion forints) for this purpose.
The water pumped out enabled a water retention intervention prepared by WWF-Hungary to be implemented: the shallow flooding of a 30-hectare ash forest in Bereg. Water was pumped from the River Tisza into the main irrigation channel, and diverted from there by a temporary weir of sandbags. The excess water was led into the forest through another existing channel and there it could spread out.
According to Németh, the intervention retains around 80,000 cubic metres of water at an average depth of 20–30 centimetres. This temporary inundation helps protect the trees, stimulates growth, and provides new habitats for a variety of animal and plant species.
He added that the flooding of six Tisza oxbows was also completed this year, involving the replenishment of more than 1.5 million cubic metres of water. These measures together aim to make the region more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
‘This is a pilot’
Katalin Sipos, Country Director of WWF-Hungary, stressed that the project is not just about ‘irrigating’ a forest, but about starting to raise groundwater levels in the area. “This is a pilot operation, essentially a ready-made solution that can enable permanent water retention. To achieve this, we need supporting infrastructure, road adjustments, the consent of surrounding landowners and alignment of forest management with water retention,” she said.
Katalin Sipos, Country Director of WWF-Hungary speaking at the water release event, photo credit: Boglárka Bicsák, Péter Kajner/WWF Hungary
The design of the water retention measures was carried out by WWF-Hungary through the MERLIN EU-funded Horizon project, with additional support provided by The Coca-Cola Foundation as part of the cross-sectoral Living Danube Partnership.
Adapting to changing hydrological conditions and precipitation patterns
József Gacsályi, Deputy Technical Director General at the National Water Directorate General, said that while flood protection remains important in Hungary’s most flood-prone areas, climate change means that water resources must also be managed more efficiently.
Attila Tilki, Fidesz MP for the region, said that the drought protection action plan and the “Bringing Back Water to the Landscape” programme are welcomed by local communities and farmers.
The Bereg pilot is one of a growing number of nature-based water retention projects in Hungary, reflecting a shift towards using natural landscapes to help buffer against effects of increasingly extreme weather patterns.
