By Ruth Keah

Standing on the banks of Poland’s Odra River, I couldn’t help but draw parallels to the struggles of my homeland, Kenya. The Odra, Poland’s second-largest river, winds gracefully through cities and countryside, its tranquil beauty belying a history of catastrophic floods.

The river’s turbulent past, however, is matched by Poland’s innovative solutions to manage its might—solutions that sparked thoughts about their potential application in Kenya’s flood-prone regions.

As a journalist covering climate change and its devastating impacts across East Africa, I have witnessed firsthand how floods and droughts wreak havoc on lives and livelihoods.

In Kenya, homes are washed away, crops are destroyed, and lives are tragically lost. Communities are left grappling with the aftermath, struggling to rebuild in the face of increasing climate unpredictability.

This contrast struck me during my recent visit to Poland, with my fellow journalists from Kenya, we explored its rich history, vibrant culture, and impressive strides in infrastructure.

The visit was part of The Transcontinental Dialogues: Poland in Kenyan Media Spaces project, led by The HumanDoc Foundation with the Association of Grassroot Journalists Kenya (AGJK) as the strategic media partner and funded by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Among our stops were Legia Stadion, the Zachęta Museum of Modern Art, the streets of the old Warsaw Ghetto, and the majestic Zamek w Mosznej castle. But the place that captivated me most was the Odra River, whose story resonates deeply with my own experiences back home.

A group photo featuring five journalists from Kenya alongside their hosts from HumanDoc and Opole University, taken during a dinner at the Zamek w Mosznej castle, Poland.

Izabela Zbikowska, a communications officer at HumanDoc, narrated the river’s fraught history. “The Odra has flooded many times, the worst being in 1997—the thousand-year flood,” she said.

This devastating disaster claimed 54 lives, flooded 24 provinces, and left 680,000 homes submerged. The economic and social toll was staggering.

The Odra, which flows through the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany, has long posed a challenge to the cities it traverses. The area of the Odra basin amounts to 118 861 sq. km, of which 106 821 (89%) sq. km is within the territory of Poland, 5% in Germany, and 6% in the Czech Republic.

Wroclaw, Poland’s fourth-largest city, is particularly vulnerable. Nestled along the river’s banks, its vibrant old city and booming nightlife mask a historical fear of flooding. When heavy rains combine with melting mountain snows, as they did in 1997 and again in 2010, the Odra can surge through Wroclaw with destructive force.

In response, Poland has taken significant steps to tame the river. Flood prevention measures include dredging and deepening the riverbed, reinforcing embankments, building fish-friendly weirs, and constructing advanced floodgates. These gates, located in Wroclaw’s city center, are marvels of engineering. Open on normal days to allow water to flow freely, they are closed during heavy rains to prevent flooding into the city.

“These gates have transformed how we live with the Odra,” Izabela explained. “Since their construction, the city hasn’t experienced significant floods.” The gates have even become a tourist attraction, symbolizing resilience and innovation.

A section of the floodgates on the left side of the Odra River. During the 1997 floods, the houses seen in the distance were half-submerged by the river's floodwaters. (Photo by Kui Mugweru.)

As I stood there, listening to Izabela and watching the gates in action, I couldn’t help but think of the Tana River in Kenya, or the Nzoia River, which frequently overflows its banks, devastating communities in Budalangi and beyond.

What if Kenya could adopt similar infrastructure to protect its flood-prone regions? The cost would be high, but the savings in lives, property, and economic stability would be immeasurable.

In a world grappling with the escalating impacts of climate change, Poland’s approach to managing the Odra River offers a powerful example of how thoughtful planning and innovative engineering can mitigate disasters.

For Kenya and other nations facing similar challenges, it’s a lesson worth considering—because the rivers we fear today could one day flow safely through our towns and cities, just as the Odra now does through Wroclaw.

Historical Floods of the Odra River in Poland

1813 -A major flood that occurred after river regulation works in the 18th and 19th centuries

1854 -A major flood that occurred after river regulation works in the 18th and 19th centuries

1903 -A major flood that led to the construction of a flood protection system along the Odra

Other major floods on the Odra River include: June 1902, August 1985, and August 1977.