Residents of Nové Heřminovy vote in favour of flood-control dam despite previous opposition

Residents of Nové Heřminovy in the Moravian-Silesian Region voted on Saturday in favour of a planned flood-control dam that will partially flood the village. In a 2008 referendum, they had opposed the project, requiring local leaders to take steps against its construction.

Despite the local vote, the final decision on the dam rests with the government, which approved the project years ago.

The dam is part of flood protection measures on the upper Opava River, aimed at protecting towns like Zátor, Brantice, Krnov, and Opava, which suffered severe flood damage last September. Experts say the damage would have been lower if the dam had already been built.