Riparian restoration to reduce flood risk
Navarra, Spain
Navarra has developed Flood Risk Management Plans with the integration of nature-based solutions to reduce the risk and effects of flooding.
These plans contain actions in six areas:
- Climate change monitoring
- Adaptive water management; forests, agriculture, health, infrastructures, and territorial planning
- Strategic capacities to address climate change adaptation
- Flood Early Warning System in practice
- Flood risk local management with self-protection plans for 16 municipalities
- River restoration projects
Challenges:
Navarra is highly susceptible to flooding, with multiple types of events that can lead to flooding. Throughout its history, Navarra populations have been located in dominant places with agricultural potential, many of which were in flood risk areas. As a consequence, there are reports of serious damages caused by floods since the year 827. With the approval of the European Directive 2007/60/EC on the assessment and management of flood risks, the need and opportunity to create a flood plan for Navarra emerged.
Financing:
These actions have been financed by public funds and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Operational Cooperation Program Territorial Spain - France - Andorra (POCTEFA 2014-2020), such as the project “H2OGurea, cross-border watersheds integrated management”.
Actions and impacts:
In 2011, the Flood Risk Management Plans for Navarra sub-basins were approved. This included the development of hazard and risk maps, as well as the adoption of actions in the six areas previously described. The sixth area includes a series of actions based on the protection and restoration of rivers as a natural solution to mitigate risks, with focus on the protection of riverbeds and banks within the 10-year flood return period zone, the establishment of preferential river territory, and gradual regulations in the area with a return period of 500 years.
References
Gobierno de Navarra. (2018). Medio Ambiente entrega a vecinos, vecinas y comerciantes de Baztan y Sunbilla compuertas para protegerse de las inunda¬ciones.
Gobierno de Navarra. (2017). Presentation: Directiva de Evaluación y Gestión del Riesgo de Inundación en la Comunidad Foral de Navarra.