Integrating Flood Risk, River Basin Management and Adaptive Management

Gaps, Barriers and Opportunities, Illustrated by a Case Study from Kristianstad, Sweden

Abstract

The increasing risk of floods in Europe calls for a revision of current governance and management
practices. Sweden has not yet experienced flood events of the magnitude seen in central Europe
over the past few years; hence flood-risk management is low on its political agenda. This paper
investigates the gaps, barriers and opportunities in implementation of flood risk reduction, which to
be effective needs to be part of an adaptive river basin management framework. It analyses progress
on the ground illustrated by a case study from Kristianstad, the most flood-exposed municipality
in Sweden. We conducted a literature review, interviews, a regional workshop and a focus group
discussion. The results show that structural flood-control measures dominate in the municipality,
mainly due to the prevalence of sectoral approaches, which are reinforced at the national level.
There is no integrated and holistic spatial planning model for flood risk management that takes
water resources management and green infrastructure into account at the river basin scale. The
local planning level therefore needs guidance on a broader set of measures to manage flood risk
across sectors. Also, reliance on expert opinion needs to be complemented by strengthened
stakeholder participation in the spatial planning process. Future opportunities include synergies
between the EU Water Framework Directive and Flood Directive guided by national priorities.