FIRST RELEASE

CROATIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS
10000 ZAGREB, ILICA 3, PHONE: +385 1 4806-111, P.O.B. 80, CROATIA

ISSN 1334-0565

 

YEAR: XLVI.

ZAGREB, 16 APRIL, 2009

NUMBER: 6.1.3.

 

 

OBLIGED TO NOTIFY DATA SOURCE

 

 

PROTECTION OF LAND AGAINST EROSION AND TORRENTS, 2008

 

The total surface area of flooded land in 2008 was 52 ha, of that 42 ha of arable land, 3 settlements and 30 km of roads.

 

All presented values depended on weather conditions.

 

In 2008, the surface area affected by erosion was smaller than in 2007 and amounted to 3 627 km2. The surface area of treated land was 154 km2, which means that it was 4% less than in the previous year. The surface area of non-treated land increased by 33% than in the previous year, that is, it was 3 414 km2.

 

In 2008, there were 1 173 torrents, which means that their number slightly increased (by 34%), as compared to 2007. The surface area of watersheds decreased by 1%, that is, it was 11 166 km2, while the length of watercourses increased by 131% (that is, it was 3 508 km).

 

Out of the total number of torrents, there were 150 treated ones, which means that their number increased by 74%, as compared to the year 2007. The surface area of treated watersheds was 1 597 km2, which presents an increase of 61%, as compared to 2007. The length of watercourses was 754 km, which means that, in comparison to the previous year, it increased by 42%.

 

In 2008, the technical-biological treatments of watersheds included the melioration of meadows and pastures (86 ha, which is the same area as in 2007).

 

Works in beds of torrents in 2008 resulted in building of 1 570 diagonal facilities (10% more than in the previous year) and the volume of materials used amounted to 142 166 m3 (2% less than in 2007).

 

In 2008, there were 3% more (105) longitudinal facilities built than in 2007, while the total length was 34 km (that is, 88% less than in the previous year). The total quantity of the material required for the construction of longitudinal facilities amounted to 25 920 m3 (27% less than in the previous year).

 

 

1.   LAND AREA AND FACILITIES FLOODED BY TORRENTS AND MOUNTAIN WATERS

 

2007.

2008.

Indices

2008.
2007

 

 

 

 

Total land area, ha

1 250

52

4

Cultivated area, ha

2 060

42

2

Settlements

17

3

18

Buildings

-

-

-

Industrial facilities

-

-

-

Other business facilities

-

-

-

Railway lines, km

-

-

-

Roads, km

39

30

77

 

 

2.   ERODED LAND AND TORRENTS (situation as on 31 December)

 

2007.

2008.

Indices

2008.
2007

 

 

 

 

Eroded land

 

 

 

  Land area under erosion, km2

3 804

3 627

95

  Treated land, km2

161

154

96

  Non-treated land, km2

2 562

3 414

133

Torrents

 

 

 

  Situation according to the List of Torrents

 

 

 

      Total number of torrents

876

1 173

134

      Surface area of watershed, km2

11 273

11 166

99

      Length of watercourse, km

1 516

3 508

231

Treated torrents

 

 

 

  Total number of torrents

86

150

174

  Surface area of watershed, km2

989

1 597

161

Length of watercourse

529

754

142

 

 

3.   TREATMENT OF WATERSHEDS AND TORRENTS (situation as on 31 December)

 

2007.

2008.

Indices

2008.
2007

 

 

 

 

Technical and biological works on watershed

 

 

 

Roofs, terraces, walls etc., p/st

-

-

-

Melioration of forests

-

-

-

  Melioration of meadows and pastures, ha

86

86

100

Works in torrent beds

 

 

 

  Diagonal facilities built

 

 

 

      Total number of facilities

1 429

1 570

110

      Total materials used, m3

145 218

142 166

98

  Longitudinal facilities built

 

 

 

      Total number of facilities

102

105

103

      Total length, km

275

34

12

      Total materials used, m3

35 320

25 920

73

 

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

 

Source and methods of data collection

 

Data on the protection of land against erosion and the treatment of torrents are collected by using the reporting method on the Report on the Protection against Erosion and Treatment of Torrents (VOD-ER form).

 

Reporting units are legal entities and parts thereof engaged, according to the Act on Waters (NN, No. 107/95), in water management, that is, the protection against harmful effects of waters and the treatment of watercourses (the National Classification of Activities, 2002 version, Section F, Class 45.24).

 

Coverage and comparability

 

Statistical surveys are carried out on the basis of the full coverage. The Register of Business Entities is used as a source for making the address book.

 

Surveys provide data on land areas and facilities flooded by torrent and mountain waters, eroded land and torrents as well as on treatment of watersheds and torrents.

 

Definitions

 

Flood of torrent and mountain waters is an unexpected flooding of a certain area by water produced in torrent flows and by concentration of mountain waters, characterised by an abrupt flows of water, huge quantity of deposited stone and silt and a great destructive power that occurs immediately after heavy local showers and rapid melting of snow, which can also do harm to water courses.

 

Total flooded area includes all categories of land: arable land and gardens, orchards, vineyards, meadows and pastures, fish ponds, reed-patches and ponds, forest soil and infertile soil, that is, fertile and infertile soil that is being protected against these waters.

 

Cultivated land includes arable land and gardens, orchards, vineyards and meadows.

 

Settlement is an anthropographic unit given a specific name according to the valid list of settlements, irrespective of the number of houses.

 

Buildings include non-business buildings and facilities (residential buildings, schools etc.).

 

Industrial facilities are presented in regard to the number of buildings and facilities used in the industrial production as well as the number of outdoor warehouses.

 

Other business facilities include the number of all buildings and facilities used in other economic branches (excluding industry), such as agricultural facilities, warehouses, trade facilities, transport facilities etc.

 

Railway lines refer to all lines of standard and narrow tracks presented in kilometres.

 

Roads refer to the length of all roads (main, regional and local).

 

Erosion of land is a common natural phenomenon that occurs on steep terrains at rapid melting of snow and heavy rains. On such terrains the water rapidly flows over the surface land, which causes destroying and rapid take off of loose ground.

 

Treated land refers to a land on which a new deposited matter is no longer washed away, slid down, carried or deposited.

 

Torrents are highland or mountain stream that rise during heavy rains and rapid melting of snow and hollow out beds by sliding down the banks and making gully.

 

Erosions are prevented by technical and biological works on watershed areas (construction of horizontal ditches, terraces, walls etc.).

 

Diagonal facilities refer to stone walls (made of cement or concrete), stone trunks and other materials.

 

Longitudinal facilities are low water beds in the wall, reinforced on both sides or in part by a stone wall, stone trunks, hurdles etc.

 

Abbreviations

 

etc.         and so on (from Latin: et cetera)

ha       hectare

km      kilometre

km2    square kilometre

m3          cubic metre

NN     Narodne novine, official gazette of the Republic of Croatia

p/st     pieces/sticks

 

 

Symbols

 

-  no occurrence