The RIBAMOD Concerted Action is funded by the EU Directorate General of Research and Development (DG XII), as a part of the Fourth Framework Research Programme. As one contribution to an informal network of researchers and practitioners working in the area of river flood management, a series of Newsletters are being published. These are distributed to members and given a wider circulation by placing them here on the INTERNET.
The final report was published in March 1999 and a .pdf version is available
here. You must have the Adobe Acrobat reader installed
on your machine to read the file and this can be downloaded from 
.
Newsletters currently available are:-
RIBAMOD NEWSLETTER No 1, September 1996
RIBAMOD NEWSLETTER No 2, November 1996
RIBAMOD NEWSLETTER No 3, June 1997
RIBAMOD NEWSLETTER No 4, October 1997
RIBAMOD NEWSLETTER No 5, May 1998
RIBAMOD NEWSLETTER No 6, November 1998
A scanned version of the RIBAMOD brochure is available here. If you would like to receive a printed copy please e-mail either Paul Samuels
In recent years severe flooding has occurred in several parts of Europe, both as localised flash floods and as basin-wide floods on major river systems. By their nature floods are generated by the random coincidence of several meteorological factors but man's use of the river catchment also has an impact upon the severity and consequences of the events. Flood forecasting systems have advanced to use the latest developments in monitoring, communications and computing technology. However, important issues remain in both the detailed understanding and simulation of processes involved in flood propagation and also in the best practice for management of the river and its catchment. European research on flood forecasting and climate change impacts has been funded since 1986 and in 1995 the EU Directorate General of Research and Development (DG XII) organised an expert workshop to discuss the current state-of-the-art and research needs in the area of river flood management. A working group was established at the end of the workshop to draft out the content of a Concerted Action in this area.
The Objectives
The RIBAMOD Concerted Action is now funded by DG XII as a part of the Fourth Framework Research Programme. It will examine long-term generic issues as initiatives are already in place to tackle operational problems in specific river systems. The Concerted Action will focus on flooding but considered within the framework of integrated river management. The Concerted Action may be viewed as having broadly five functions:-
It is expected that other benefits will ensue from the RIBAMOD Concerted Action including:
RIBAMOD will promote understanding of technical and policy issues in flood management, will examine how advanced modelling should support planning, design, operation and maintenance of flood defence systems and will identify methods and procedures for sustainable development, management and use of the river and its catchment.
The Concerted Action Events
Four international meetings are scheduled in the Concerted Action, two Expert Meetings (by invitation) and two open Workshops. It is intended that participants in these events will come from all the member states of the EU. The location and provisional dates and themes for the events are:
| Expert Meeting 1 | Denmark 10-11 October 1996 | Forecasting and Modelling - Model
structure and decision support |
| Workshop 1 | Netherlands13-14 February 1997 | Current Policy and Practice |
| Expert Meeting 2 | Italy 26-27 June 1997 | Forecasting and Modelling - Real time
warning and risk mitigation |
| Workshop 2 | UK 26-27 February 1998 | Sustainable Use of River Catchments and Climate Change |
Details of Expert Meeting 1
Convenor: Karsten Havnț, Danish Hydraulic Institute
Dates: 10-11 October 1996 (provisional)
Theme: Forecasting and Modelling - Model structure and decision support
Topics: current modelling practice, limitations and trends; to include
How can you be involved?
The RIBAMOD Partners welcome the interest of all professionals involved with river modelling, management and flood mitigation in executive agencies, consultancies, research institutes and universities. To register your interest in RIBAMOD or to obtain further information, please contact the coordinator:
Paul Samuels, HR Wallingford, Howbery Park, Wallingford, OXON, OX10 8BA, UK
fax +44 1491 825916, e-mail: pgs@hrwallingford.co.uk
or one of the RIBAMOD Partners
Karsten Havnț, Danish Hydraulic Institute,
fax +45 45 76 2567, e-mail: sk@dhi.dk
Roelof Moll, Delft Hydraulics,
fax +31 52724 3573, e-mail: roelof.moll@wldelft.nl
Evangelos Baltas, National Technical University of Athens,
fax +30 1 772 2879, e-mail: baltas@central.ntua.gr
Axel Bronstert, Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research,
fax +49 331 288 2600, e-mail: Axel.Bronstert@pik-potsdam.de
Marco Borga, University of Padua,
fax +39 49 827 2686, e-mail: agra05@IPDUNIVX.UNIPD.IT
or the Scientific Officer in DG XII, Riccardo Casale,
fax +32 2 296 3024, e-mail: Riccardo.CASALE@DG12.cec.be
© December 1998