RiFFER-EU

Extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall and flooding are increasing significantly in Europe as a result of climate change. The flooding events of recent years have shown that traditional, water-level-based forecasting systems are often insufficient to provide timely and targeted support for civil protection.

In addition to simply forecasting water levels and discharge rates, there is a growing need for risk- and impact-based information that describes the specific consequences for the population, critical infrastructure and emergency response measures.

Particularly in cross-border and internationally oriented regions, robust scientific concepts, modern data sets and close integration of flood forecasting and disaster management are required. It is against this backdrop that the German-Ukrainian RiFFER-EU project was launched.

The aim of RiFFER-EU is the scientific development and conceptual preparation of a risk-based flood forecasting system to serve as a basis for decision-making in civil protection.

The focus is on:

• the expansion of traditional flood forecasting to include spatial, probabilistic and risk-oriented forecasts,
• improving the usability of forecast information for decision-makers in civil protection,
• the establishment of a robust German-Ukrainian research collaboration within a European context.

In the long term, RiFFER-EU aims to lay the foundations for further European research and development projects in the field of flood risk management.

To achieve these objectives, the following measures are being implemented as part of the project, under the leadership and with the scientific involvement of Hof University of Applied Sciences (INWA):

• Analysis of existing flood forecasting and civil protection structures,
• Assessment of the condition and performance of hydrometeorological monitoring networks,
• Organisation of specialist workshops and scientific exchanges between German and Ukrainian partners,
• Preparation of a follow-up EU research proposal based on the results obtained.

Role of Hof University of Applied Sciences (INWA)

INWA plays a key scientific and coordinating role in the project and is responsible for:

• the scientific and methodological development of approaches for risk-based flood forecasting,
• the analysis and evaluation of hydrometeorological data and monitoring networks,
• the development of concepts for integrating forecasts into disaster management processes,
• coordinating research and the exchange of knowledge between German and Ukrainian partners.

Thanks to inwa’s many years of experience in the fields of sustainable water systems, digitalisation and applied research, Hof University of Applied Sciences is making a significant contribution to the scientific basis of the project and to the preparation of further European research initiatives.