ABSTRACT
In the late summer of 1993 northern Sweden experienced unusually heavy rains. River valleys all over Norrland were flooded, and reports poured in about rising water levels that exceeded all predictions. The material damage to houses and summer cottages, boats, docks and roads dominated the news for several weeks. But as the deluge continued, a serious new problem was emerging. The reservoirs that regulated these rivers were all full, and though the power stations were being run at full capacity, water was flowing over the dams. Reports of damage from Porjus and Suorva came in, and the power company Vattenfall started round-the-clock surveillance on the status of these dams. The scenario of a broken dam at Suorva was described in detail by the mass media. The regional authorities’ emergency plan was publicized in the daily papers. On television, senior executives from Vattenfall assured the public that the dams would withstand the growing pressure. But this offered us little comfort. If a dam did break, the whole of the Lule river valley would be inundated. Villages would be swept away and, on the coast, the cities of Boden and Luleå would be under water.
