Hydrology and Water Resources

HISTORIC FLOODING IN THE PRUT-BÂRLAD CATCHMENTS

Crenganiș L.1, Bofu C.1, Balan I.2 , Boariu C.1, Hogaș. H.1
1
Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, Faculty of Hydrotechnical Engineering,
Geodesy and Environmental Engineering (ROMANIA)
2
Water Basinal Administration Prut - Bârlad (ROMANIA)
loredana.crenganis@gmail.com, constantinbofu@yahoo.com, isabela.balan@yahoo.co.uk

ABSTRACT
The flood regime in the Prut – Bârlad catchments is characterised by short, high
intensity floods in the majority of upland rivers. These upland rivers are often
ephemeral – dry during the hot, summer months and wet during the winter months. In
lowland rivers, flooding is more prolonged, especially near confluences.
Short, high intensity rainfall coupled with low infiltration on catchments lead to flash
flooding in upland areas. Changing land use patterns during the last 15 – 20 years are
increasing the frequency and criticality of flooding throughout the catchments.
The floods of 2008 were particularly extreme. River warning levels were exceeded
during most of the year over many parts of the Prut-Bârlad catchments.
The worst floods of 2008 took place in the period from March – April of 2008 and July
– December 2008, when the high floods on most of the rivers reached historical limits.
Large areas were inundated leading to death and severe infrastructure damage.
Keywords: catchment, high intensity flood, river warning levels

INTRODUCTION
Romanian Waters National Administration manages the state's public waters and the
infrastructure of the National Water Management System consisting of reservoirs, flood
defenses constructions, canals, interbasinal derivations, water intakes and other specific
works, as well as the infrastructure of the hydrological, hydrogeological and water
quality monitoring national system for the purpose of knowledge and unitary
management of surface water and groundwater resources of the country, as a whole.
Romanian Waters National Administration has in its structure 11 Water Basinal
Administrations, organized on hydrographical basins [1].
The hydrographic catchments of Prut and Bârlad rivers that form the patrimony of Prut -
Bârlad Water Basinal Administration have a total surface of 20267 km2 and consists of:
1 - the middle and inferior catchment of Prut river
2 - the catchment of Bârlad river
3 - left tributaries of Siret river in Botoșani and Galați county [2]
The Prut River springs from the Carpathian Mountains on the north-eastern slope of
Cernahova, in Ukraine at 2068 m altitude. Up to the Danube confluence, the Prut River
flows through Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Romania. In Ukraine, the Prut
River has an area of 8300 km2, in the Republic of Moldova occupies 8250 km 2, and in
Romania the Prut catchment occupies 10900 km2 (about 40% of the total area). Until the
entrance to Romania, the Prut River has a length of 251 km. The difference of 695 km
to the Danube River is the natural border between Romania and the Republic of
18th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2018

Moldova. To the north of Oroftiana, the Prut River enters the territory of Romania and
traverses a distance of 704 km, which receives numerous tributaries: Volovăţ, Baseu,
Jijia, Sitna, Miletin, Elan. etc (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 The positioning map with River Prut hydromteric stations

During 23rd – 26th July 2008 significant rainfall occurred in Prut River catchment. The
total flood volume was 1400000 m3. [5]
Maximum flow registered at Rădăuți – Prut hydrometric station of 4240 m3/s was
superior to the flow of 0,1% probability of exceedance = 3700 m3/s. The maximum
water level of Prut River of 1130 cm exceeded with 530 cm the Danger Level threshold
of defense (Fig. 2).
 Hydrology and Water Resources

H=1130 cm = +530 cm Danger Level

Fig. 2 Stage hydrographs at Cernauti, Orotiana and Radauti Prut hydrometric stations
The Stânca – Costeşti reservoir is located on the Prut River at km 576 from the
confluence with the Danube River. The dam and the hydro-mechanical equipments are
exploited jointly with the Republic of Moldova. The reservoir was temporarily in
operation on June 29, 1978, and in the spring of the year 1979 it reached and surpassed
for the first time the Normal Level of Retention. The reservoir has a total volume of
1400 million m3, of which 665 million m3 is the volume of attenuation corresponding to
the maximum level of verification. [6]
For the protection against floods, on the territory of the counties of Iasi, Vaslui and
Galati, the right bank of the Prut River was embanked for a length of 250 km.
At discharged outflows of about 500 m3/s, the section of the minor bed of Prut River is
full, and on the dilated sections the water penetrates into the floodplain area.
In the year 2008, through successive discharges of different downstream flows, safe
transit of volumes was achieved without endangering downstream objectives [3].

1050 m3/s

730 m3/s

Fig. 3 Flow hydrographs at Cernauti, Orotiana and Radauti Prut hydrometric stations
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The maximum discharge from Stânca - Costeşti reservoir of 1050 m3/s diminished
downstream of the confluence with Jijia at S.H. Prisacani, recording the flow of 730
m3/s (Fig. 3).
River Prut embankment
The precipitation recorded during the period 23.04.2008 - 30.04.2008 produced
overcoming the defensive phases at Tutora – Gorban River Prut embankment.
Between 23.07.2008 - 22.08.2008, precipitations of over 100 l/m2 were recorded at most
hydrometric stations and pluviometric stations in Iasi County. The recorded
precipitations, as well as the propagation of the floods formed on the upper rivers of the
Prut and Miletin rivers, led to overcoming the defense phases at Prut - Trifesti - Tutora –
Gorban River Prut embankment (Fig. 4).
The significant precipitations recorded in the upper basins of the Siret and Prut rivers
have led to the formation of floods that have produced effects on the territory of Iasi
County. The flood on the Prut River caused the entire length of the dam to be
overloaded and the third phase of defense to be exceeded. [4]

Fig. 4 Flow hydrographs on hydrometric stations in Iasi, Vaslui and Galati county
As a result of the floods on the Siret and Prut rivers, the state of alert was triggered
throughout Iasi County and it was ordered to evacuate the population and animals from
the localities situated in the area o Trifesti - Sculeni River Prut embankment. [7]
The artificial flood wave created on the Prut River (due to the successive discharges
from the Stanca – Costeşti reservoir at the end of April) led to the flooding of the area
between the minor bed o the river and the levee on the embankment sectors of Drânceni,
Albiţa - Fălciu and Rânzeşti - Cârja area. The water rose and the levees and the defense
thresholds were overcome. On the embankment of the Prut River in the Albiţa - Fălciu
sector, infiltrations occurred under the levee, without the entrainment of solid particles.
 Hydrology and Water Resources

Between the 30th of July and the 7th of September 2008 successive discharges were
evacuated from the Stanca – Costeşti reservoir, propagating downstream flows of 180
m3/s ÷ 1000 m3/s. As a result of the upstream flood propagation at Oancea hydrometic
stations the water level exceeded with 48 cm, the Danger Level or defense recorded
(Fig. 5).

H=648 cm
Q=587 m3/s

Fig. 5 Stage hydrograph at Oancea hydrometic station

In the year 2008, in order to ensure the safe exploitation of the defense lines, which
were exceptionally stressed due to the high levels of the floods and the long exploitation
period under water pressure, intervention measures were taken in the critical points on
the embankment network (infiltrations, erosions, areas under the projected elevation,
under passages), depending on their gravity and their negative effects
measures. [8]
Measures:
Taking into account the special situations that occurred on the Prut River Danube and
the Danube River (infiltrations, erosions, levels above the Phase III of defense) and for
the safe exploitation, the following measures were taken:
- tracking the evolution of the levels at hydrometric stations in the national and local
system on the Prut River and the Danube River and their transmission to the Basinal
Dispatcher;
- tracking the appearance of critical areas on the embankment network (infiltrations
through the levee and below, erosions of the external slopes), the evolution of the size of
infiltration flows and their materialization;
- supplementing the personnel for the monitoring of the evolution of hydrological
phenomena and means and materials for interventions (on the Prut river Danube river
network and the Danube river) from Botosani, Iasi and Vaslui counties;
- daily and regular information on the evolution of hydrological phenomena, the
technical condition of the levees, the measures taken and the interventions made;
doubling the shift staff at Basin Dispatcher and Galati county; [5]
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Interventions:
The first step was to reduce and stop the infiltration phenomena through the bodies of
the levees, which untreated in time could have led to the appearance of the griffins with
the entrainment of solid material and their failure
 for the stabilization of the critical areas with infiltrations through the body of the
levee, works were done to balance the hydrostatic pressure consisting of artificial levees
(from sacks filled with earth and polyethylene foil) on the inner slope (Fig. 6);

Fig. 6 - Artificial levees

 for reducing the infiltrations through the body of levees of waterproofing of the
external slope with clay soil, geotextile materials, Bentomat clay, paved with earth (Fig.
7);

Fig. 7 - Waterproofing of the external slope

 in order to stop the erosion phenomena of the outer slopes of the levees, there were
made works of fascia sticks combined with earth bags (Fig. 8);
 Hydrology and Water Resources

Fig. 8 - Fascia sticks combined with earth bags

 in the areas with saddles and non-conforming transverse profiles of the levees, works
of raising the elevation and filling of the embankments were done (Fig. 9);

Fig. 9 - Raising the elevation and filling of the embankments

CONCLUSION
The floods of the year 2008 were particularly extreme. Defence thresholds for the Prut
River were exceeded during most of the year.
The worst floods of 2008 took place in the period from March – April of 2008 and July
– December 2008, when the high floods on most of the rivers reached historical limits.
The Basin Dispatcher was permanently kept up to date with the latest changes in the
evolution of the levels at hydrometric stations on the Prut River and the Danube River,
the appearance of critical areas on the embankment network and the evolution of
infiltration flows in the levees. The management of Water Basinal Administration took
the most appropriate measures to mitigate flood effects.
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In order to maintain the safe operation of the defense lines on the Prut River and the
Danube River, the personnel of Water Basinal Administration Prut – Barlad carried out
immediate interventions at the critical points highlighted on the embankment network
(infiltrations, erosions, areas under the projected elevation, under passages), depending
on their seriousness and their negative effects. The most important works were those of
raising the elevation and filling of the embankments in the areas with saddles and non-
conforming transverse profiles of the levees.
More losses of human lives and exceptional infrastructure damages were thus avoided.

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Prut – Bârlad în anul 2008, 2009
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 Hydrology and Water Resources