On 10 June 2025, Poland’s national water authority, Wody Polskie, officially concluded the PLN5 billion (€1.18 billion) Odra Vistula Flood Management Project, a decade-long initiative to bolster flood defenses for more than 5 million residents. Backed by domestic funds, the World Bank, and European Union Cohesion Funds, the program marked a shift toward integrated, large-scale water infrastructure.
The Odra Vistula Flood Management Project involved major upgrades to the Racibórz Dolny dry polder, which now serves as a critical flood retention basin for the Upper Odra River. The initiative also delivered embankment reinforcements and river regulation works along vulnerable stretches of the Lower Vistula, protecting cities such as Wrocław and Sandomierz. The program also modernized regional flood forecasting and early warning systems, enhancing risk management across Southern and Central Poland.
Building on this momentum, in April, Wody Polskie submitted funding requests under the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment 2021– 2027 program. The water authority is seeking over PLN1.01 billion (€238 million) for flood mitigation projects in the San, Kaczawa, and Nysa Kłodzka basins. The proposals include dry polders, embankment upgrades, and floodplain rehabilitation, aimed at protecting an additional 70,000 residents while advancing a more adaptive, nature-based approach to water resilience.
