Tisza River
The most significant medieval collection of customary law in Hungary, the Tripartitum by Werbőczy (1521), provides evidence that the diversion of waters, flood control measures and the construction of mill-ponds was common practice as early as the 13th century. Another purpose of these early hydrological measures was to make rivers navigable, making it possible to float timber from the mountains and to ship the products of the royal salt mines in the Carpathian Mountains.
An expansion of the population during the 18th century increased the demand for grain. To meet this need, extensive herding was gradually replaced by the production of field crops, and forests were converted to fields.

However, to further increase the area of arable land, it became necessary to reduce the areas affected by floods.
A new chapter in the history of water and landscape management opened towards the end of the century with the implementation of the first large-scale hydrological interventions, such as the closing of the Mirhó-fok.
Many people who had made their living from the river Tisza lost their livelihood and joined the ranks of the navvies. They built the earthworks, which protect nearly 40.000 km2 of land from flooding (including areas in the Danube catchment). Of this area, approximately 23.000 km2 falls within the present-day borders of Hungary. (Source: Living with the River, 2002)
Read more about the training of engineers in the early 19th century or the importance of grasslands for the Hungarian floodplains in the download.