Flood marks

Flood marks are fixed marks of the highest water level of a flood. In the form of clearly visible cast plates or chiseled stone notches, they serve as a constant reminder of the risk of flooding even in times without catastrophic flooding events. The brands enable the affected population to classify expected flood levels and corresponding floods and to initiate defensive measures. The tradition of marking the highest levels of flood events can be traced back to the 15th century in Saxony. Flood marks are also important specialist information for water management, in particular for the calibration of hydraulic models that are used, for example, to determine flood areas.