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In June 2013, Prague-Velka Chuchle racecourse was completely under water and the horses that are trained at the racecourse have been moved out. The situation was far from as bad as in August 2002, but it was bad enough. This fairly normal flood was enough to cover the entire Prague-Velka Chuchle racecourse area in muddy water. The racecourse is adjacent to the Vltava, upstream from Prague, and is designated as an emergency reservoir. As in 2002, the problem was not so much with the Vltava, which is more or less well-regulated for a 20-year flood, but above all with the Berounka, which flows into the Vltava a couple of kilometers upstream (south) from the racecourse. The Berounka is a major tributary coming from the west, via Plzen (Pilsen). The communities along the Berounka have raised their embankments and speeded up their discharges into the river since 2002, but no retention reservoirs have been constructed.
The flooding at Velka Chuchle racecourse begins and ends in the lowest-lying part of the course, which is at the far end of the back straight, between the 1800 metre mark and the 1600 metre mark. The Czech Derby was rearranged at short notice, and was run at Most racecourse. The meeting at Most was organized by TMM, the Velka Chuchle organizers. I think it was a fine effort by them to hold a good Derby day at Most at short notice in spite of their problems at their own racecourse.
Robin Healey (30/06/2013)
Chuchle Arena Praha, s.r.o.
Radotínská 69/34
159 00 Praha 5