Commentary: A (Mostly) Hydrological Commentary on the Small Retention Programs in the Polish Forests

Abstract

From a hydrological perspective, flood risk management (FRM) is simple: reduce the height of the flood peak and the flood risk is reduced. In reality, a huge number of biophysical and societal factors complicate the process and many of the possible solutions are documented in national languages or otherwise inaccessible to a broad international audience. The Polish forest small retention program is unique in its manner of addressing these factors. The contribution of Matczak et al. (this volume) is especially welcome as it contributes to the English language literature on practical measures for upstream water retention so as to reduce downstream flood risk. While there are a few publications in English about the Polish programme, the voluminous Polish language literature is a treasure trove of useful information for forest managers interested in water retention as well as water managers who are interested in the flood reduction potential of the forest landscape.