ICPR publishes new Rhine Atlas: flood-prone areas from the Alps to the North Sea

The Rhine Atlas has been developed jointly by all the states through which the river flows: Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France and the Netherlands. The ICPR has been publishing it with the German Federal Institute of Hydrology since 2001 – previously in print and now as a web mapping service. The goal is to raise awareness of flood risks and improve flood prevention measures.

The new edition of the Rhine Atlas, containing updated data, has been available since June 2026, and was adopted on 16 June 2026 at the ICPR plenary assembly in Dübendorf (Switzerland).

What does the atlas cover

With the atlas, citizens can find out whether they live in an area along the Rhine that is at potential risk of flooding, and what water levels they can expect in the event of a flood. Three scenarios (frequent, medium and extreme flooding) are included.

Cross-border information

In addition, the maps contain useful information such as land use, the number of residents affected in the event of a flood, the location of industrial facilities that could pose an environmental risk, and cultural heritage sites in the affected areas.

This ensures that everyone, regardless of national borders, can access consolidated and standardised information on flooding along the Rhine. The atlas also includes links to the information pages of the competent authorities in the countries and regions within the river's catchment area.

Background to the ICPR

See the website IKSR and the LinkedIn page about the Rhine for more information.