Water management is key to climate adaptation: it’s no longer just about draining water - it’s also about retaining it

While the water level of Lake Velence is once again a cause for concern, and drought is threatening the flow of an increasing number of Hungarian rivers, experts say that water retention and reuse may be the answer to Hungary’s water management challenges. According to KÉSZ Group, state-of-the-art engineering solutions can be among the most important tools for climate adaptation and sustainable water management.

News reports over the past few weeks have once again drawn attention to the fact that Hungary’s water management has entered a new era. Extreme weather events are causing both flash floods and prolonged droughts, which is why, according to water management experts, water retention will play at least as important a role in the future as flood protection did in the past. Krisztina Bombera and her guests—Péter Udud, a hydrogeologist and CEO of Aquaprofit, and Attila Pappert, project director and head of the hydraulic engineering division at KÉSZ Group—discussed this topic in the latest episode of the Constructing Stories vodcast. 

Today, water engineering is not just about protection, but also about adaptation

The role of modern water engineering has changed significantly. In addition to traditional flood protection tasks, there is now an increasing emphasis on engineering solutions that help retain water, restore the landscape’s natural water cycle, and adapt to extreme weather conditions.

“In the past, we primarily built systems to drain water away. Today, we must focus much more on finding solutions for how to collect, retain, and reuse it. Water engineering is thus increasingly about how to apply engineering knowledge in harmony with the workings of nature,” said Attila Pappert, before illustrating his point with a personal example: “There are numerous developments that can be implemented to have a significant impact on the water management of a given region. The Ős-Dráva Program is a good example of how water retention can simultaneously benefit agriculture, nature conservation, and the quality of life for local communities, while also bringing water back to areas where lakes and wells had previously dried up.

“Hungary loses the equivalent of about three and a half Lake Balatons’ worth of water annually, which is why any intervention capable of slowing down or retaining precipitation and surface water takes on greater importance,” added Péter Udud. 

The development of Lake Balaton is also about adaptation

The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident on our lakes as well. One of KÉSZ Group’s recent flagship projects was the modernization of the Fonyód marina, where the developments not only renewed the marina’s infrastructure but also adapted the breakwater structures to changing weather conditions.

This project clearly illustrates that hydraulic engineering today involves not only the construction of new facilities but also the adaptation of existing infrastructure to climate change.

Specialised knowledge and equipment for the most complex hydraulic engineering tasks

During hydraulic engineering projects, work is often carried out at water depths of up to 8–10 meters, in strong currents, and under limited visibility, while ensuring that vessel traffic continues uninterrupted. The heavy-duty floating platforms are capable of accommodating machinery weighing up to several dozen metric tons, while specialized diving teams and highly experienced machine operators carry out the work in environments where visibility is often practically zero. State-of-the-art riverbed scanning and positioning technologies enable construction to proceed safely and with high precision even under these extreme conditions.

A key player in KÉSZ Group’s hydraulic engineering expertise is MA-HARD Hajózási és Vízépítő Kft., which operates one of the region’s most comprehensive hydraulic engineering fleets. The company operates with a team of nearly 40 specialized professionals, a transport capacity of nearly 10,000 metric tons, and floating work machines suitable for use on the Danube, the Tisza, and Lake Balaton.

Experts agree that there is no single, grand solution to Hungary’s water management challenges. Rather, what is needed are interrelated developments tailored to local conditions, a long-term shift in mindset, and the consistent application of engineering expertise. As Attila Pappert put it: “We don’t always have to think in terms of grandiose investments. Many smaller projects can also bring about lasting improvements to a region’s water management, the quality of life of its residents, and the state of the natural environment.” 

The full conversation is available on KÉSZ Group’s YouTube and Spotify channels.