Environmental impact assessment of flood mitigation measures: Methodology based on risk analysis

Abstract

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a process with several important purposes, the principal of which is to be an aid to decision-making; providing decision-makers with a focused evaluation of the likely environmental consequences of sanctioning a proposed development action, before a decision is taken and at a time where it can actually affect the outcome. Risk analysis (RA) has become in recent years an important tool for decision-making and management activities. The objective of the paper is to propose a methodology for assessing water constructions, which will allow the assessment impact of water constructions on the environment and hence select the best option for the permission process. This methodology is intended to streamline the process of EIA of constructions in the field of water management. One of the paper's objectives is to create a system of EIA of water constructions through RA evaluation of options, the result of which should lead to the selection of future activity, quantified with minimum risk to the environment. Comparison options and the designation of the optimal variant will be implemented based on selected criteria which objectively describe the characteristic lines of the planned variants and their impact on the environment. The application of developed methodology for the process of EIA will develop assumptions for further improvements and, respectively, more effective implementation and performance of this process. © 2014 WIT Press.