National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology DSI web site Phare in Bulgaria Ministry of regional development and public works

MRDPW–PHARE — project № BG 2003/005-632-02.01-2БЪЛГАРСКИ
Beneficery: Hydro-Meteorological Observatory – Haskovo (at NIMH–BAS)


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Maritza is the biggest river on the Balkan Peninsula with catchment area of 53 000 km2 including territory of three countries: Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey. Its biggest tributaries are Arda and Tundja rivers. Their river basins are almost entirely in Bulgaria, and their mouths into Maritza river are in Turkey near Odrin/Edirne in the close proximity of the Bulgarian-Greek-Turkish border. Significant parts of Maritza river basin are exposed to hazards of frequent and dangerous floods as a result of intensive precipitation and snow melt during winter and spring. Inundations and natural calamities with significant losses and human casualties on Bulgarian territory are most frequent along the south-eastern tributaries of Maritza and Arda rivers, and on Turkish territory—in the vicinity of Odrin/Edirne.

The first documented floods are on Bulgarian territory in the region of Plovdiv when the river level on 31 Aug.--01 Sep 1856 was higher than 4 m. The records continue with the following big inundations in 1876, 1894, 1911, 1957. The most sudden and dangerous floods are observed in Arda river basin as a result of Mediterranean cyclones causing intensive precipitation and snow melt during winter. Thus the floods along Arda River and its tributaries Varbitza and Krumovitza in 1956, 1990, and 1996 with wave height more than 6 m and water quantities more than 1400 m3/s caused great losses and casualties.

Recently as a climate change effect cells of very heavy precipitation causing sudden floods on limited area have been observed. That was the case on 15 Nov. 2004 in the Tzankov Kamak dam area, and on 18 Dec. 2004 in Smolian region

On the Turkish side there are also dangerous floods with losses and casualties in the region of Odrin/Edirne, which are extremely severe when simultaneous high flows occur on Maritza, Arda and Tundja rovers, as was the case on 11-12 Jan. 2003. The biggest flooding ion the last two years were in February and August, 2005, and March 2006, the most important since 22 years. During the innondation in March 2006, 40 000 ha agricultural land, international roads, habitat areas, and irrigation systems were flooded and damaged.

Photos from the floods


Национален институт по метеорология и хидрология, Българска академия на науките (НИМХ)
National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, Bulgarian Academy of Science (NIMH-BAS)

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