Flood Wisdom
Flood Wisdom is a cross-border initiative uniting partners in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine to strengthen regional flood preparedness. Its purpose is to find solutions for flood risk and climate adaptation in the Meuse-Rhine region. The project has a number of components, it covers both research and measures for improved flood prediction for tributaries, river- and flood plain management and mitigation measures.
Rijkswaterstaat participates in Flood Wisdom because the project strengthens international cooperation between the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany to improve cross-border flood preparedness. The July 2021 floods demonstrated the need for joint action, better prediction tools, and coordinated responses to extreme weather and river conditions.
Participation in Flood Wisdom contributes to several core Rijkswaterstaat objectives:
- Strengthening flood safety in the Netherlands by improving prediction of extreme precipitation and river discharges (including events similar to the 2021 flood).
- Ensuring reliable water management through better meteorological and hydrological data, new modelling approaches, and improved understanding of sediment flows, vegetation and ecosystem dynamics.
- Enhancing climate resilience, with specific regard to the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
- Supporting efficient, collaborative management of the Meuse river system through joint research on sedimentation and vegetation, coordinated cross-border measures in the river and the flood plain.
- Advancing innovation by developing next-generation tools for flood modelling, flood storage solutions and debris-related risk assessment.
Flood Wisdom applies a coordinated, cross-border approach in which partners share data, develop advanced models, and test new methods for understanding and reducing flood risks.
The project delivers better prediction tools, improved collaboration, and practical measures that strengthen flood preparedness, resulting in faster and more effective responses. These outcomes increase safety and resilience for communities across the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
Project period
January 2025 - December 2027
European programme
Project website
Partners
Rijkswaterstaat, Water Board Limburg, University of Liege, Delft University of Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Water Board Eifel-Rur, Regio Heinsberg, Municipality of Weert.
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) and Deltares are associate partners.
Co-financers
