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Why was flooding in Pest common before the Danube was regulated?
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Budapest
Central Budapest, looking north along the Danube River, with the Parliament Building on the east bank.
Before the Danube River was regulated, flooding in the region was frequently caused by the accumulation of ice. Between December and March, floating ice blocks would drift downstream and become trapped at river islands, creating jams that obstructed the river’s course and led to major floods.1
While the regulation of rivers through dams and dikes has since helped manage these natural runoff patterns, the historical instability of the river's flow was a significant challenge for settlements along its banks.1