Project Title:
URBANFLOODS – Enhancing Urban Resilience through an Integrated Advanced Decision Support System for Flood Management
Project Description:
The Adriatic–Ionian region, characterized by its unique geographical and climatic conditions, is increasingly exposed to severe flood events due to the combined effects of climate change and land-use changes. These events have led to significant geomorphological adaptations of river channels and have historically caused substantial damage to human life, property, agriculture, and tourism infrastructure.
URBANFLOODS is a progressive initiative aimed at strengthening urban resilience to the growing risk of floods, particularly along rivers and streams in urban environments across the Adriatic–Ionian region. Through the development of an integrated decision support system in line with the EU Floods Directive, as well as an innovative communication and learning platform, the project seeks to transform flood management systems and enhance preparedness and response capacities.
The overall objective of URBANFLOODS is to raise public awareness, recommend new flood prevention policies, and provide strategic action plans for the short-, medium-, and long-term. Project results are designed to benefit local authorities, communities, policy-makers, and the wider public. This initiative will contribute to building stronger, more flood-resilient cities for the future.
Specific Project Objectives:
● Joint development of an integrated decision support system, involving the creation of an advanced, data-driven system that provides holistic solutions for flood management and early warning systems.
● Strengthening natural and civil protection mechanisms, focusing on improving existing strategies and introducing new measures to further protect the Adriatic–Ionian region from flood risks.
● Establishing protocols for effective practices, transnational strategies, and action plans, including the identification, documentation, and adoption of successful flood management strategies and action plans that can serve as references for other regions facing similar challenges.
● Education of local communities, aimed at improving understanding of flood risks by fostering a culture of “preparedness” and promoting proactive mitigation measures.
Main Expected Results:
● 1 Integrated Decision Support System, enhancing the capacity of local authorities to reduce urban flood risks and increasing city resilience through advanced, data-based flood management solutions. The system will be validated and demonstrated at 9 pilot locations.
● 1 Joint transnational URBANFLOODS Strategy, establishing a targeted approach to achieving efficient and effective flood management. The strategy will provide a shared vision, objectives, policies, actions, and measures based on a SMART approach.
● 3 Action Plans, translating the jointly developed transnational strategy into concrete actions to improve knowledge and decision-making support for three key categories of institutions:
(1) local/regional authorities,
(2) civil protection authorities,
(3) national authorities.
● 1 Memorandum of Understanding, serving as a formal agreement among the involved stakeholders to continue cooperation after the project’s completion. The MoU will promote knowledge exchange and best-practice sharing, increase the visibility of project results, and enhance awareness and preparedness among both stakeholders and the wider public.
Project Partners:
- University of Western Macedonia, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Greece – Lead Partner
- Institute for Hydraulic Engineering d.d. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Murska Sobota Development Centre, Slovenia
- Municipality of Macerata, Italy
- Regional Development Agency Bačka Ltd., Serbia
- Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Company of Kozani, Greece
- Hydrowater-Albania Ltd., Albania
- Rijeka Development Agency Porin Ltd., Croatia
- Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, North Macedonia
- SVI.MED – Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Sustainable Development, Italy
- Knowledge Management Centre, North Macedonia
Associated Partners:
- Municipality of Scicli, Italy
- Municipality of Modica, Italy
- Slovenian Environment Agency, Slovenia
- Adriatic Sea Watershed Agency, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Water Supply and Sewerage Association, Albania
- Ministry of Environment and Energy, General Directorate for Water, Greece
- Public Water Management Company “Vode Vojvodine”, Serbia
- Municipality of Kozani, Greece
- Crisis Management Centre, North Macedonia
- Institute for Sustainable Development and Natural Resource Management, Greece
- Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Areas of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia
Pilot Locations:
Sopoto – Greece
Matica River – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ledava River – Slovenia
Fosso Narducci – Italy
Modica–Scicli Stream – Italy
Karaš River – Serbia
Tirana River – Serbia
Rječina River – Croatia
Kriva Reka – North Macedonia
Contact Person:
Jelena Petrov – Project Manager
📧 jelena.petrov@rda-backa.rs
📞 +381 (0) 60 330 25 05
Project Information:
Project Title: URBANFLOODS – Enhancing Urban Resilience through an Integrated Advanced Decision Support System for Flood Management
Programme: Interreg IPA ADRION
Implementation Period: 01/09/2024 – 31/08/2027
Total Budget: €1,747,583.17
EU Co-financing: 80% (IPA contribution: 85%)
Website: URBANFLOODS
Interreg Support Statement:
The URBANFLOODS project is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg IPA ADRION Programme.
