In 2018, the conditions in Skjåk were disastrous. Streams and rivers overflowed their banks. People were trapped, evacuated, the power was out and several roads were closed. The municipalities had set up emergency staff. Close to 100 people were evacuated. Some had to wait half a year to return home. The autumn flood cost the municipality of 2,000 inhabitants a whopping NOK 40 million. – It was colossally devastating, says mayor of Skjåk, Edel Kveen (Sp). Now the municipality is trying to avoid ending up under water again. But other planned projects in the country must wait. The money is not enough. NVE is now spending NOK 200 million on securing the municipal center Bismo against damaging floods. – For us, this is a very large project, says watercourses and energy director Kjetil Lund. – We are building 2.2 kilometers of flood embankment, three pumping stations and securing a side stream to the Ottaelva. How many meters of pipe there are, I dare not guess, but it is a lot. We will have a total capacity of 2 cubic meters per second, says project manager at NVE, Odd Arne Haarseth. There are a number of such projects around the country with a high social benefit that could, and should, have been carried out, says Lund. A report from NVE in 2021 estimates that it will cost around NOK 85 billion to secure all buildings in Norway against landslides and floods. In Gudbrandsdalen alone, flood protection measures worth over NOK 800 million are planned, but NVE only has around NOK 300 million a year to spend on flood and landslide protection. Now that around NOK 200 million of this is being used to secure the municipal center in Skjåk, the vast majority of other planned projects will have to wait. – How much of the community’s resources will be used to protect against floods and landslides is at the end of the day a political priority, says Lund. SOCIETAL BENEFIT: Watercourses and energy director Kjetil Lund believes it is beneficial to society to protect against flooding in advance instead of having to clean up afterwards. Photo: Aleksandr Nedbaev / news Means everything for Skjåk Mayor of Skjåk, Edel Kveen, believes the government spends too little money on flood protection. – Nationally, more must be permitted, so that we can prevent rather than repair. And we are in dialogue about the distribution of own shares, says Kveen. She believes that floods cost small municipalities very dearly. But she is happy that they have started so quickly with security in Skjåk. – All residential areas, schools, the kindergarten, medical center and our industry are located in the city centre. There has been no development in the industrial area. We cannot build on anything until the flood embankment is in place. So this really means everything to us, says Kveen. FLOOD PROTECTION: NVE spends NOK 200 million on flood protection in Skjåk in Gudbrandsdalen. Photo: Aleksandr Nedbaev / news – Money is not everything State Secretary in the Labor Party, Elisabeth Sæther, acknowledges that there will be an even greater need for flood prevention in the future. – We spend significant funds because it is a very important area. Today, NVE receives approximately 500 million for prevention against floods and landslides. In recent years, they have not used up the pot, she says. GREAT NEED: State Secretary in the Labor Party, Elisabeth Sæther, says there will be a great need for flood protection in the coming years. Photo: Ketil Kern / news But she believes it’s not just about money and financing. – It is so important to ensure that we have a good planning tool to see how we will use our areas in the future. – I have the impression that many municipalities have gained even greater awareness of how they can contribute to prevention against floods and landslides through planning and land use in their own municipality, says Sæther.
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NVE provides flood insurance for NOK 200 million in Skjåk. Thinks there is not enough money for flood protection – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
