Local flooding in the USA, Europe, and Poland - an overview of strategies and actions in face of climate change and urbanisation

Urbanisation and climate change have significant impact on disturbing water balance in catchments. Uncontrolled urban development, increased land surface sealing, and increasingly appearing heavy rainfall cause local inundations called urban flooding. Rational catchment water management necessitate that a new approach to the problem of flooding be introduced that includes the human factor. Greater emphasis should be placed on local management of rainfall water within catchment, especially in urban areas. What is more, it is of utmost importance to provide efficient legal system and co-operation of various authorities and decision-makers in terms of urban land use management. The present article reviews different courses of actions taken in order to improve reasonable water management in the USA, Europe, and Poland in face of climate change and urbanization that cause flooding.