Floodplain Lakes, River Regulation and Restoration Strategies - what do we know?

This study aims to link the relevant theoretical frameworks and concepts of fluvial geomorphology and civil engineering. This paper presents an overview of the historical evolution of scientific reasoning in river management and has an aim to show a floodplain lake as an irreplaceable part of a fluvial hydrosystem. In the 20th century, a concept of regulation has been used. The stream regulation had been guided by idea that each unmodified channel is inconvenient. The main idea was to maintain the water in channel. Many negative effects of river regulation, which had been known since the begin of their application, were not reflected and the regulations had been applied. Restorations have been developed since 70s of the 20th century in western countries. Their goal is a renewal of channel segmentation and increase of retention capacity of channel-floodplain zone. The communication between managers and researchers has been translated to concrete elements of fluvial management and field work studies. Important progress has been realised in terms of management with the effort to revitalise the connections between floodplain lakes and fluvial systems. This experience is fundamental for subsequent actions of floodplain lake management.