On Tuesday, the 13th Symposium of the European Club of ICOLD – the International Commission on Large Dams – was officially opened in Bydgoszcz. The main mission of the organisation, which is headquartered in Paris, is to develop standards for the safe operation of dams. The conference in Bydgoszcz provides an opportunity to discuss the challenges facing these facilities across Europe, as well as to draw lessons from the floods that hit Poland in 2024.
“Changes are taking place increasingly rapidly. The energy system needs greater flexibility. Many dams are already old and require modernisation. Our task is to preserve their value while improving their safety. We must prepare them for the decades ahead,” said EURCOLD President Arjan Jovani of Albania.
“Age is not on their side. Regular assessments of their technical condition, maintenance and rehabilitation help keep dams in good condition and prepare them for the future. Flood protection levees are a key element of flood protection infrastructure across Europe. They protect homes, agricultural land, transport routes and industrial areas, often over considerable distances.”
According to the head of the European EURCOLD committee, one of the key challenges today is monitoring the entire network of dams and flood protection levees.
The symposium is hosted by Kazimierz Wielki University. The conference will continue until Friday and will be held primarily in English.
The President of ICOLD, Devendra Kumar Sharma of India, is the guest of honour.
Dams are also an issue for our region
In the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, the most important dam is the Włocławek Dam, which was built in 1970. It is currently operating under much more demanding conditions than originally anticipated and therefore requires close monitoring.
There has also been a proposal to relieve the pressure on the Włocławek Dam by constructing a water barrage at Siarzewo, but the project has been stalled for years at the stage of obtaining environmental decisions.
Another important dam was built in Koronowo, becoming critical infrastructure from the perspective of both the town itself and Bydgoszcz.
Od 2009 roku związany z lokalnymi mediami. Specjalizuje się w tematach dotyczących infrastruktury, polityki regionalnej oraz funkcjonowaniu samorządów.
