Flooding is a major risk for loss of life and economic damage in the North Sea Region (NSR). Flood protection is the cornerstone of our strategy to reduce these risks. The infrastructure that protects us from flooding, such as dykes, sluices and dams, is ageing and very often its performance is no longer at the desired level. Climate change exacerbates this. The renovation, adaptation and maintenance of these multi-billion worth assets is an enormous challanege all across the North Sea Region, particularly in the current economic circumstances.

The following approach will be used in FAIR:

Develop and implement an innovative approach for adaptive investment planning and design for flood asset infrastructure by:

• Optimise investment planning by exploring mainstreaming of these investments with other policy domains at the local & regional level; and by mapping planned investments across a wide portfolio of flood protection assets in a country (optimisation of timing)
• Identify cost-optimal adaptive infrastructure upgrades by exploring variety of technical designs: with adaptability and life cycle costing for various performance levels
• Support delivery of a number of demonstration projects, in six NSR countries: N, DK, D, UK, NL, BE.

Reduce the probability of flooding as well as to minimise the impact of floods by ensuring an appropriate performance of the existing flood protection infrastructure with regard to new arising needs caused by progressing climate change, making optimal use of the current renovation, upgrade and maintenance challenges across the NSR.

The project will deliver:

• a number of demonstration projects levering multi million Euro investments in: dyke strengthening, sluice renovation, upgrades of pumping stations
• Inventory of flood infrastructure investments currently planned (next 5 years) and required in the future
• Recommendations for adaptive investment opportunities (combinations of investment with other planning objectives, re-planning)
• Inventory of best practices in the adaptive infrastructure upgrades

Flood protection infrastructure will deliver the required performance also if requirements change due to climate change. A new adaptive investment approach will be established that results in multi million savings in the flood infrastructure adaptation and maintenance. In several demonstration projects infrastructure works will have created multiple values. Ultimately, the risk of flooding will be mitigated in the most effective way.

• Rijkswaterstaat, NL (lead partner)
• Environment Agency, UK
• Kystdirektoratet, DK
• Flemish Environment Agency (VMM), BE
• Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg, D
• Technical University of Hamburg, D
• Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, N
• Lansstyrelsen Skane, SE
• Capelle a. d. Ijssel, NL
• Hoogheemraadschap van Schieland en de Krimpenerwaard (HHSK), NL
• Oxford University, UK
• UNESCO-IHE, NL
• Delatres, NL
• Triple Bridge, NL

If you are interested in joining this project, please contact Natalie Oonk of Rijkswaterstaat (natalie.oonk@rws.nl).