Links

Overview
Here you can find useful links to websites with more information about:

1. Relevant EU websites
2. Other EU projects dealing with flood management
3. Other organisations dealing with flood management

 1. EU websites 

Gateway to the European Union

Towards a European Action programme on flood risk management European Commission - DG Environment

INTERREG IIIC is an EU-funded programme that helps Europe’s regions form partnerships to work together on common projects. By sharing knowledge and experience, these partnerships enable the regions involved to develop new solutions to economic, social and environmental challenges. E.g. The FLAPP network is part-financed by the INTERREG IIIC programme.

2. EU projects ^ top page ^

AMICA - Adaptation and Mitigation – an Integrated Climate Policy Approach Timeframe: 2005 - 2007 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Klima-Bündnis / Alianza del Clima e.V. AMICA is looking at ways to address climate change at local and regional level. The project seeks to increase the effectiveness of climate policy and strike a balance between precautionary and responsive measures to deal with both the causes and the short and long-term consequences of this global phenomenon.

AQUA-FIL Water Resources Centres for Regional and Local Management of Rivers Timeframe: 2004-2006 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Commune de Beckerich, Luxembourg AQUA-FIL aims to provide regional authorities with an opportunity to exchange and transfer experiences on the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive and other national laws. By doing this the skill level of partners is improved and the state of rivers are monitored. Lastly, the project is improving local skills for environmental education.

AWARE Timeframe: 2005-2007 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Province of Zeeland The partners of AWARE are working together to find solutions to improve cross border cooperation during disasters and calamities. Their goal is to improve the regional and cross border calamity fight, strengthening the quality of calamity fight and to start a risk awareness process. Partners are provinces, municipalities and emergency services from the Netherlands, Flanders, Lithuania, Great-Brittain, Romania, Hungary and Russia.

Chain of Safety Timeframe: 2005 – 2013 Type of project: INTERREG IIIB Lead partner: Province of Zeeland, The Netherlands The project area of Chain of Safety covers all coastal regions of the North Sea. The project aims to make a framework for a transnational contingencyplan for coastal floodings, considering the chain of safety: pro-action, prevention, preparation, respons and recovery. Inventories take place on plans, equipment and knowledge that are available in the different countries and regions around the North Sea. Aim is to prepare recommendations how to cooperate transnational in different severity of scenarios. A pilot area is the crossborder region West-Flanders (Belgium) and Zeeland (The Netherlands).

COR - Community rivers, sustainable river management Timeframe: 2003-2008 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Torfaen County Borough Council, UK This project focuses on the improvement of European rivers and on the involvement of local community members around them.

Elbe-Labe Timeframe: 2003-2006 Type of project: INTERREG IIIB Lead partner: Saxon State Ministry of the Interior The flood events in 2002 demonstrated in a most dramatic way that further improvements in preventive flood protection remain necessary in many areas. As well as the numerous measures which are the responsibility of water management, agriculture and forestry, especially spatial and building planning are required to regularly review and improve their approach and to implement appropriate strategies, plans and measures. In order to achieve this, transnational cooperation must be strengthened because the causes of damage occurring along the basins of rivers which cross national borders involve international interconnections. Therefore, this transnational INTERREG III B Project was developed in order to reach the following targets: The development and agreement of a joint strategy on spatial planning in the Elbe catchment area. Provision of data and information on risk potentials, necessary measures, effects of measures, steps towards their realisation (hazard maps, retention areas, land use etc.). Examination and improvement of spatial planning instruments in the states and countries within the Elbe catchment area regarding preventive flood management by spatial planning. Realisation of pilot projects: exemplary extended development of selected regional plans and development plans by the innovative integration of the of flood protection (risk, land use, settlement development etc.).

ENMAR Timeframe: 2005 - 2007 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Municipal Environmental Campaign U.A.N., Germany ENMaR means "European Network of Municipalities and Rivers" and is a network of municipalities in Europe. ENMaR will conduct, network and compare the WFD related development in different European regions as regards content until the end of 2007. Differences, similarities, problems and possibilities during the implementation of the WFD on local level are pointed out. Local stakeholders will be involved. A network of regional contacts will be established to be expanded in the future.

E.R.E. - Espace Riviere Europe Timeframe: 2004 - 2007 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: S.I.C.A.L.A Syndicat Intercommunal d'Aménagement de la Loire et de ses Affluents The main objectives of the European River Space (ERE) are to: • Assist in a better understanding of the concept of sustainable development in the territories concerned with regard to social, eco-tourism and environmental aspects. • Develop awareness among the target audience of the need for protection of water resources for fair, sustainable usage, especially through teaching about water environments. Interreg IIIC provides added value to the project already implemented by contributing to active transfer amongst partners of experiences and practical solutions through innovative, experimental actions.

ESCAPE Timeframe: 2002 - 2004 Type of project: INTERREG NORTH SEA Lead partner: Province of Zeeland, The Netherlands ESCAPE aims to minimise the effects of flooding situations in coastal areas, through improving contingency plans, increasing public awareness and developing systems for monitoring high water and evacuation possibilities.

ESPACE - European Spatial Planning: Adapting to Climate Events Timeframe: 2003-2007 Type of project: INTERREG IIIB North-West Europe Lead partner: Hampshire County Council, Great-Brittain ESPACE is an ambitious four-year European project that aims to promote awareness of the importance of adapting to climate change and to recommend that it is incorporated within spatial planning mechanisms at local, regional, national and European levels. Focussing on North West Europe, ESPACE will look at how we manage our water resources and plan for a future with a changing climate.

HIDROSOURCE Timeframe: 2004-2006 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: The Iberian Association of the Duero Riverside Municipalities The HIDROSOURCE project seeks to adopt measures to promote an integrated management of the hydrologic river resources of the Duero River (Iberian Peninsula) and Trebbia River, Potributary (Italy). Partners are: The Iberian Association of the Duero Riverside Municipalities, Câmara Municipal de Miranda do Douro (Portugal), the Town Hall of Laguna de Duero (Valladolid, Spain) and the Provincia di Piacenza (Italy).

Lakepromo – Tools for Water Management and Restoration Processes Timeframe: 2004 - 2007 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Municipal Federation of Savonia Polytechnic, Finland Main objectives of the Lakepromo project are: • to promote international and multilevel cooperation in the field of water management • to exchange experiences and know-how between different regions, to pool the related practices and technology • to increase public awareness and participation in lake management processes • to contribute to the objectives of the European Water Framework Directive: a good ecological and chemical status of all surface waters in Europe.

MUNSERVNET Timeframe: 2005 – 2007 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Sachsen Wasser GmbH Municipalities and municipal service providers face increasing pressure to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Therefore MunServNet is designed to provide a network-platform to exchange know-how and experiences in the field of water and wastewater management. Currently the MunServNet network consists of 13 partners in the water and wastewater management industry represented by 7 countries.

NOAH, including the development of FLIWAS (Flood Information and Warning System) Timeframe: 2003-2006 Type of project: INTERREG IIIB Lead partner: STOWA, The Netherlands The project's main objective is to manage the flow of information during a flood event and keep this information flow under control. The right information has to be available quickly, reliable and unambiguous at the right place before, during and after a flood event. The second objective is the establishment of flood partnerships between the (local) authorities, the general public and other stakeholders. The target group is on the one hand all professional water managers and decision makers, on the other the general public and the media.

Preview Timeframe: 2005 - 2008 Type of project: GMES service element programme Lead partner: Infoterra France PREVIEW is looking for new techniques to better protect European citizens against environmental risks and to reduce their consequences. PREVIEW will provide new or enhanced information services for risk management in three thematic domains: • Atmospheric • Geophysics • Man-made Supporting European Civil Protection units – local, regional, national and European authorities – PREVIEW draws on the most advanced research and technological developments using satellite observation in combination with other data and scientific models, that will help better prevent, anticipate and/or manage different types of disasters. The major objectives of Preview are: • To enhance risk mitigation through better prevention and preparedness, better anticipation and more accurate assessment at various time and spatial scales of situations at risk. • To improve timely dissemination of meaningful and adapted early warning information, perfectly fitted to the societal needs and to the concepts of operations of rescue forces.

RESCUE Timeframe: 2004 –2006 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Region of Central Macedonia The partnership wants to exchange experiences and share good practices and tools to better manage potential disasters and help decision makers to better respond to such situations. A particular focus of the operation is on transportation and logistics systems. The ultimate objective and vision of RESCUE is to develop an integrated Decision Support and Knowledge Management System that combines expert knowledge and technological solutions to help regions cope with disasters and develop the necessary transport and logistics tools to further complement knowledge with analytical support. Sub-objectives are to analyze and document the lessons learned from past responses to disasters, identify successful strategies to cope with disasters, develop training modules and simulation exercises.

RESNAFRONT Timeframe: 2004 - 2007 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Regional Ministry of Economy and Employment; Government of Castile and Leon RESNAFRONT was created out of the need to deal with the problems of border territories (maintaining agriculture and forestry, excessive use of natural resources, decreasing population, poor dissemination of tourism potential and insufficient development of business and roads) by means of joint actions to promote the resources of border areas while introducing parameters for environmental and territorial sustainability.

RISK-EOS Timeframe: 2003 - 2008 Type of project: ESA European Space Agency/GMES service element programme Lead partner: Infoterra France RISK-EOS is a network of European service providers delivering geo-information services to support the management of flood, fire and others risks throughout all phases” : • Prevention, • Early warning • Crisis • Post crisis. The RISK-EOS services combine the use of satellite observation data with exogeneous data and modelling techniques. They are targeted to serve the needs of all risk management actors at European, National and Regional levels : • Civil protections, fire fighting and rescue services, • Land planning and risks prevention services, • Territorial communities The RISK-EOS services have been developed and qualified in close synergy with operational users of five European countries, federated by the National Civil Protection services of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden.

RIVERCROSS Timeframe: 2006-2007 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Radboud University Nijmegen Throughout Europe there are new challenges in river management. Climate changes, grand-scale water pollution, water supply problems or sea intrusion are problematic developments. Often cross-border cooperation in river basin management is regarded as one of the possibilities in search for creative policy solutions. However, because of cultural differences, organisational barriers or differences in perception, goals or strategies, this is easier said than done.

Riverlinks Interface d'Excellence pour un rapport durable Ville-Fleuve Timeframe: 2003 - 2008 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: City of Florence, Italy The RIVERLINKS project proposes the settling of territories along metropolitan river systems. In the majority of metropolitan regions, the city - river interface represents both a limit and potentiality. The main objective of the operation is to actuate an inter-regional collaboration and exchange between the partners involved with the purpose of creating a new approach to the territorial configuration of metropolitan river basins and to the definition of a renewed city - river interface.

SIPROCI Interregional response to Natural and Man-Made Catastrophies Timeframe: 2004 - 2006 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Province of Macerata, Italy The aim of this project is to improve the local and regional response to catastrophes and disasters through interregional collaboration across Europe. This will be achieved through the creation of a transnational platform for exchange and development of methods, techniques and good practices in the field of prevention and mitigation of disasters and catastrophes.

SITAR – Sustainability in Tourism and Resource Management. Timeframe: 2004 –2007 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Land Burgenland, Eisenstadt Sitar focuses on tourism (health-tourism, eco-tourism and culture-tourism) and resource management (renewable energy, waste water management and renewable primary products). These sectors are important for the development, labour market and gross national product of the participating regions. The partner regions have identified similar problems and challenges such as a lack of co-operation between different sectors of the economy, a lack of cultural offers tourism-related services and training opportunities.

UTDR Timeframe: 2004 - 2007 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partner: Union des Terres de Rivieres Union des Terres de Rivieres (U.TdR) is a European network of partners, who have come together to share experience and knowledge on the impacts of society and land use on water. Using the EU Water Framework Directive and the Ecosystem Approach as key common points of reference, U.TdR partners seek to develop and implement sustainable environmental and economic measures for the benefit of all EU citizens. Union des Terres de Rivieres (U.TdR) est un réseau européen de partenaires qui sont venus ensemble partager expérience et connaissance sur les impacts de société et usage de terre sur l'eau. Utiliser l'UE Eau Structure Directive et l’Approche par Écosystème comme points communs clés de référence, U.TdR est partenaire cherchez développer et rendre effectif des mesures de l'environnement et économiques soutenables pour l'avantage de tous les citoyens d'UE.

X-border GDI (cross border geodata infrastructure) Timeframe: until 2008 Type of project: INTERREG IIIC Lead partners: provincie Gelderland, provincie Limburg en Bezirkregierung Düsseldorf Geo- (spatial) information is described as: ‘information about objects or phenomenon’s that are directly or indirectly associated with a location related to the earth’. Geo-information helps to give answers to spatial structures and processes in support of monitoring, planning, decisions and management

3. Others ^ top page ^

EurAqua is the European Network of Freshwater Research Organizations. The aim of EurAqua is to contribute substantially to the development of European freshwater science and its dissemination on a European scale, thus having a significant input on the development of the scientific basis of European water management.

The European Exchange Circle on Flood Forecasting and Early Warning (EXCIFF) is an initiative of the Water Directors of the European Union which started in 2004/2005. The main goal of the exchange group is to share the experiences between forecasters, developers and users in the field of Flood Forecasting.

Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation is an international non-profit institute, which works to promote balanced development of border areas, especially in Lake Peipsi/Chudskoe region (Estonia). It is active in the areas of environmental awareness, tourism development and protection of cultural heritage, community development and cross border cooperation.