Flood development areas

Flood development areas are areas, in particular in the low-mountain and hilly landscapes where, in the event of heavy precipitation or in the event of snow melting, strong above-ground drains can occur in a short period of time, which can lead to a flood risk in the flowing waters and thus to a significant danger to public security and order (Section 76(1) sentence 1 SächsWG). The expulsion of flood development areas as a legal ordinance is a measure for flood prevention by the Free State of Saxony. The restrictions in the regulatory area are intended to prevent or minimise flood damage. The aim is to prevent the risk of floods from further increasing by drain-promoting construction or other measures that impede the leakage. The water leakage and water retention capacity of the areas where the increased probability of heavy precipitation coincides with a terrain morphology, e.g. characterised by a strong slope that conveys a rapid runoff, is of considerable importance for the emergence or extent of flood events. The Upper Water Authority (Landesdirektion Sachsen) determines the flood development areas by ordinance.