Floods in the Czech Republic during the past millennium

Floods of the past millennium in the Czech Republic are analysed. A noticeable decline in the number of floods as well as the N-year peak discharge rates for the rivers of Vltava and Elbe is detectable from the second half of the 19th century to the end of the 20th century. This is due to significant reduction of winter flooding and related to the overall warming of Central European winters. The relatively flood-free period came to an abrupt end with the two recent catastrophic floods of July 1997 and of August 2002. Documentary evidence of floods for the pre-instrumental period can be used to develop historical analogues to selected severe floods.