Table 6. Existing measures for coping with floods and droughts in six of the seven basins studied. The Nile, which runs through 10 countries, was not included because of insufficient data. Table 6A. Flood control measures. River basin Structural measures Nonstructural measures Social measures Amudarya Two major reservoirs Overflow structures Water storage in wetlands and polders Use of former lakes, depressions, and bays of Aral Sea for water storage Bilateral Turkministan and Uzbekistan flood emergency committee in the delta region   Elbe Water storage reservoirs Dams Dikes Polders River basin planning now includes measures to increase natural water retention areas and keep construction out of floodplains Flood alarm and warning systems Flood preparedness by distribution of information and education   Guadiana Water storage reservoirs Emergency channels Soil conservation and afforestation measures Drainage networks along streets and roads Public information and education   Orange Several very large dams designed partly for water security Poorly developed because there are few floodplains, however, Johannesburg with its largely informal shanty towns presents a perennial flooding problem Ongoing and largely unsuccessful attempts to prevent settlement in floodplains, mainly in Johannesburg   Rhine Reinforcement of dikes Retention polders Lowering of floodplains Reactivation of old river branches Land-use planning Flood action plan: raising awareness by flood risk maps and other publicity measures   Tisza Dams Dikes Six emergency reservoirs/polders under construction along the upper and middle Tisza sections Flood/riverbed cleaning for conveying flow capacity Integrated land-use planning in the floodplains according to the new  “Vásárhelyi Plan” Reforestation programs in Zacarpathian part started Flood vulnerability and risk surveys National program of payment after floods Coupled education–insurance programs under discussion  Table 6B. Drought control measures. River basin Supply-side measures Demand-side measures Amudarya Water storage in single-year reservoirs and lakes in delta region Water allocation planning Attempts to implement technical, economic, and legal water saving measures Increase in water use efficiency Awareness raising   Elbe Water storage reservoirs Water-saving technologies Water price mechanisms Optimization of water resources use   Guadiana Surface and groundwater reservoirs Water pricing Legal measures Water-efficient crops   Orange Dam infrastructure, including several large interbasin transfer schemes Plans for demand management in South Africa   Rhine Large artificial basins Redistribution between Rhine branches using weirs in the Netherlands Raising awareness Price mechanisms   Tisza Six emergency reservoirs under construction No specific measures exist