FRAMES – an international collaboration on protection against flooding

The Danish Coastal Authority (DCA) is part of the interregional EU-project “Flood Resilient Areas by Multi-layEred Safety” (FRAMES), in order to exchange knowledge and research on the topic of flooding.

The overall objective of FRAMES is to further develop our understanding of and approach to flood prevention across the North Sea Region to secure a long term and effective protection in exposed areas while also focusing on reducing recovery time in areas affected by flood. This is expected to result in recommendations for improved methods, measures and development of processes in flood protection, recovery and the planning of climate adaptation strategies.

The project is led by Provincie Zuid-Holland with respective partners from the UK, Belgium, Germany and Denmark.

The Danish contribution

The contribution by the DCA is divided in to two subprojects. The first contribution focusses on the processes and the experiences from the recovery period after the damages from the storm Xavier (in Danish; Bodil). The second contribution focuses on applying and further developing the Dutch Multi-Layered Safety concept in two pilot areas to develop useful strategies for climate adaptation and climate planning.

These experiences will be gained through surveys in three pilot areas; Vejle, Solrød/Køge and Jyllinge Riis near Roskilde. In Vejle and Solrød/Køge we will examine the Multi-Layered Safety Concept, which groups flood protection into three layers: (i) preventive measures (traditional flood prevention measures such as dikes), (ii) mitigation via spatial planning and (iii) emergency response.

Furthermore, the project aims to include an additional fourth layer: (iv) recovery after severe flooding. The fourth layer will be the focal point in the pilot area of Roskilde.

Recommendations for the development of risk reduction plans

The DCA is expecting to accomplish great and applicable results through the participation of the InterReg project as it will significantly contribute to optimized adaptation strategies that provide a better foundation for decision-makers at national and international level.The Danish effort will be strengthened by research across the European borders and through counseling with international experts within the field. The DCA plans to share the experiences and the gained knowledge through guidance of municipalities, emergency response aids and citizens to improve the practices within the field. The study is expected to contribute with tools that will aid the municipality integrate risk reduction and response in the recovery process while also incorporating uncertainties when planning for climate adaptation. The project will lastly benefit citizens in flood prone areas.

FRAMES (Flood Resilient Areas by Multi-layEred Safety) is a project under the EU InterReg North Sea Region Program 2014-2020 with an official start-up in October 2016 and an expected completion in September 2019. The project has a total budget of 6.924.911 euro of which the DCA has a total budget of 176.260 euro with 50% covered by an EU grant.

Read more about FRAMES on northsearegion.eu