The builders have completed the new embankment in Olomouc, and it is now open to the public

Olomouc - Builders have completed the embankment along the Morava River near the center of Olomouc, the construction of which was part of extensive flood protection measures in this part of the city. The new area on the right bank of the Morava between the bridges on Komenského Street and Masaryk Avenue is now accessible to the public. This was reported today by Václav Gargulák, the general director of the Morava River Basin Authority. The flood protection construction in this part of Olomouc is set to be completed in November.

The construction of the new embankment by the Morava River was finished at the end of September and has since been officially approved. The embankment is 370 meters long and 12 meters wide. It is clad with granite stone, which is resistant to flood flows. The embankment is part of flood protection measures. "It must handle a flow of 650 cubic meters per second. According to hydrological calculations, it will be flooded for approximately 30 days a year and must also withstand ice events during frosty periods. Its design reflects this," stated Gargulák.

The new embankment will remain the property of the Morava River Basin Authority, and the city of Olomouc will have it on long-term loan. Light refreshments and social activities such as concerts and various performances can be held on the embankment. However, all facilities must be mobile. If a warning of high flows in the river comes from upstream of the Morava, it will be necessary to quickly clear the embankment.

"As part of the construction of the 2nd B phase of the flood protection measures, we created two new landmarks in Olomouc – the Václav Render Bridge and the new embankment. The purpose of the embankment was to bring the river closer to the people and create a recreational area near the river. We have succeeded in this, and we already see other cities imitating this trend. Similar elements are being created in Hranice, Brno, and Valašské Meziříčí and Vsetín want to bring the river closer to the people as well," Gargulák pointed out.

The construction of flood protection measures on the Morava River, which intersects the connection between the center of Olomouc and the train station, began in the spring of 2018. It follows the previous two completed phases and will cost 730 million koruna. The investment includes the construction of two bridges on Komenského Street and Masaryk Avenue, the construction of levees and flood walls, as well as the expansion of the Morava River bed and embankment. The new bridge on Komenského Street was opened two years ago, and the one on Masaryk Avenue this summer.