The dam in Nové Heřminovy would alleviate the situation in Krnov and Opava

Ostrava/Nové Heřminovy – If the planned dam in Nové Heřminovy in the Bruntál region were already operational, the current situation in Krnov and Opava, where the flood has inundated extensive areas, would not be so critical. This is the opinion of former Minister of the Environment Pavel Drobil (ODS). According to him, the preparation for the construction is unnecessarily prolonged by the municipality and activists from the Hnutí Duha Jeseníky movement. Also, the Povodí Odry and Opava Mayor Tomáš Navrátil (ANO) believe that the dam would be beneficial. The Hnutí Duha Jeseníky has long opposed the dam.

Opava Mayor Navrátil (ANO), who supports the project, agrees that the dam would help. "In the case of fifty-year and hundred-year floods, the dam will always be beneficial. Just by its existence, we can somewhat regulate the flows in the riverbed. It is wrong that it is not yet standing," he said.

Šárka Vlčková, spokeswoman for the state enterprise Povodí Odry, also told ČTK that the dam should influence the development of floods in Krnov and Opava. She added that the project currently has a non-final zoning decision and the design documentation for the building permit is being completed. The construction of the waterworks is expected to begin in 2027, with its permanent operation starting in 2033.

According to earlier estimates, the Ministry of Agriculture anticipates that the costs for the dam will reach around eight billion crowns. This amount should cover the dam and the road, but the price also includes other adjustments to the riverbed. The construction of the reservoir has been discussed for decades. It has recently become a topic again after the catastrophic floods in Moravia and Silesia in 1997.

The municipality of Nové Heřminovy, which is to be partially flooded, has long opposed the dam. Its representatives base their stance on the results of a referendum that unequivocally turned against the construction. Recently, the local leadership has partially changed its view on the matter. They remain bound by the results of the referendum but admit that they cannot reverse the state's decision. Therefore, they are focusing more on meeting the long-neglected needs of the municipality.

The Hnutí Duha Jeseníky is fundamentally against the dam. "We disagree with wasting state funds on building some Potemkin dams. This part of the Opava River is also very valuable, as evidenced by biological assessments. For years, we have pointed out that the EIA prepared by Povodí Odry includes only one variant and is drawn up in violation of nature protection laws," said Ivo Dokoupil, the movement's coordinator, earlier to ČTK.

"Communities can be protected by levees and there is no need to build a dam bypass or a treatment plant in Zátor. In times of austerity and huge budget deficits, this solution seems even more appropriate," Dokoupil stated.