Review article
Contributions to Drava river influence on life of Koprivnica and Djurdjevac population in Drava valley from 1918 to 1941 - flooding, water regulation, traffic and communication problems
Vladimir Šadek
orcid.org/0000-0002-8144-3967
; Koprivnica-Križevci County, Koprivnica, Croatia
Abstract
This paper shows the influence Drava river had on the life of Koprivnica and Djurdjevac local population in Drava valley, from 1918 to 1941. A special focus was given to flooding in this region, on water regulation on Drava river and its tributaries, and problems in traffic and communication along the river. Water regulation on Drava had been interrupted in 1915 due to World War One, and restarted only in 1959. Despite numerous problems over the entire period of monarchy-led Yugoslavia, occasional water works and regulations were undertaken in certain locations. Drava valley had negative growth in economy and other sectors, as it lagged behind in infrastructure and Drava river regulations, all due to Belgrade-centered domination and Greater Serbia-oriented ruling regime. Drava flooding was regular each year, and undertaken regulation was insufficient to provide an effective defense against flooding. The central part of Drava valley flooding in 1920s and 1930s caused many homes destroyed and hundreds of acres of arable land lost. Many farmers were forced to leave their homes. The newly established state frontier with Hungary made Drava valley (Podravina) a marginalized territory, and it was particularly difficult for the Croatian population on the other side of the river, being cut off from the rest of Croatian lands and territory. The traffic and communication here were totally disabled, and elimination of railway station Gola only worsened the situation. The poor traffic connections were helped by terrible conditions of the roads, especially in rain seasons. To reach this desolate side, the new river crossings were established - by boat (nearby Novacka and Gotalovo), however, a better quality crossing demanded a bridge, which was missing and never was built in this interwar period.
Keywords
Drava river; flooding; damage; regulation; traffic
Hrčak ID:
112962
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2013.
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