Report from Workshop no 1 held at Delft Hydraulics
Over 80 river managers, engineers, hydrologists and researchers attended the first international RIBAMOD workshop in the Netherlands between 12 and 14 February 1997. The opening address was given by Dr C Patermann, Director of the Environment & Climate research programme of the EC, who spoke of the international dimension to flood risk in many river basins and the need to understand how flood risks will change for the citizens of Europe as a consequence of climate change. Dr Patermann also gave an outline of the forthcoming Fifth framework research programme and he emphasised that research projects should have a clear route of implementing, for the practical benefit of the community, the consequent advances in knowledge and understanding. The workshop included plenary and parallel sessions on:
In addition, the participants enjoyed the hospitality of Rijkswaterstaat during a technical tour of flood protection and river restoration measures on the Rhine and of the new surge barrier at Rotterdam.
The technical papers, which were presented during the workshop, will be published by the European Commission. This publication will also include the conclusions, which were prepared during the final workshop session together with the final summary address by Professor Ian Cluckie. Amongst the conclusions of the workshop were the following.
Understanding recent floods
Methods for estimating design floods need to be further developed to take account of human interventions in river catchments and the effects of climate change. Difficulties remain in the exchange of data between countries involved in forecasting floods in transboundary rivers and in the availability of rainfall predictions over the appropriate scale for forecasting. Structural measures for flood defence require basin-wide planning to avoid an accumulation of local solutions, which might have detrimental effects elsewhere.
Understanding flood risks
Measures to increase public awareness of flood risk and actions for citizens to take to prevent personal losses could lead to reductions in economic losses from floods. Further research is needed on the relationship between insurance and avoidance of flood risk and on the evaluation of the "intangible" costs of flooding. Research is also required on the interaction between institutional aspects of developing policies for flood defence and the decisions of engineers in the planning, design and operation of flood defences.
Operational flood management
A critical need for improved operational management of flooding is for digital real-time information on the meteorological conditions over the river catchment and its hydrological response. European standardisation of data exchange and forecasting approaches could deliver real benefit in improving flood warnings; this could be developed by undertaking selected pilot studies. Further research is needed on the optimisation of hydro-meteorological networks for the explicit purpose of flood forecasting and on the effects of false warnings of flooding on future response to subsequent flood warnings.
Integrated flood protection
Integrated flood protection poses many challenges and requires strong political support and the co-operation of professionals from several disciplines. The development of a flood defence strategy must consider a range of options both structural and non-structural. Clear guidelines still need to be developed for integrating the environmental and ecological factors into flood protection measures.
Professor Cluckie identified several themes from the workshop including the following:
The RIBAMOD events are open for participation upon request to the convenors; full details will be available in separate announcements. You may also contact the convenors by fax or e-mail at the addresses below.
Expert Meeting 2, Padua, Italy, 25 to 26 September 1997
The meeting will cover real-time flood forecasting and warning. The topics considered will include:Convenors: University of Padua (Italy) and National Technical University of Athens (Greece)
Workshop 2, Wallingford, UK, 26 to 27 February 1998
The workshop will cover impacts of climate change on flooding and sustainable river management. The topics considered will include:Convenors: HR Wallingford (UK) and Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. (Germany)
Paul Samuels, HR Wallingford, Howbery Park, Wallingford, OXON, OX10 8BA, UK
fax +44 1491 825916
e-mail pgs@hrwallingford.co.uk
Karsten Havnø, Danish Hydraulic Institute
fax +45 45 76 2567
e-mail sk@dhi.dk
Bas Pedroli, Delft Hydraulics
fax +31 15 285 8582
e-mail bas.pedroli@wldelft.nl
Evangelos Baltas, National Technical University of Athens
fax +30 1 772 2879
e-mail baltas@central.ntua.gr
Axel Bronstert, Potsdam Institute for 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
Riccardo Casale
fax +32 2 296 3024
e-mail Riccardo.CASALE@DG12.cec.be
© June 1997
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