- 50
municipalities with high flood risk in the region
- 17
municipalities drafting a municipal plan.
- 104 and 75
104 rain gauges and 75 streamflow stations for flood risk tracking, supporting early warning systems
- 2017-2030
Implementation timeline
Solutions
As a climate change adaptation measure, when Navarra’s regional strategy was drafted in 2017, 17 municipalities collaborated to develop municipal action plans against flood risk. The severe floods of 2021 demonstrated the usefulness of these plans. As a result, the number of plans increased from 5 in 2017 to 50 in 2026. These plans strengthen preparedness and response capacity, integrate up-to-date information, including real-time rainfall data, forecasts and streamflow data, and define clear emergency measures. The plans rely mainly on the following tools.
- Early warning systems: The project uses a real-time monitoring network comprising 104 rain gauges and 75 streamflow stations to track flood risk. Automated alerts are triggered when predefined rainfall or streamflow thresholds are exceeded, categorising risk into emergency levels according to severity.
- Digital tools for emergency management: A dedicated web and mobile application was developed to support real-time management. The tool centralises critical information, enables emergency levels to be activated and shows operational status through colours: green for completed actions, orange for actions in progress and red for pending actions. The platform centralises information on emergency levels and the specific measures to be carried out the specific measures to be carried out, facilitating institutional coordination, preparedness and communication with the population.
- Community engagement and training: Community preparedness is reinforced through targeted information campaigns, workshops with residents and local stakeholders, and annual training sessions for municipal managers and operational teams.
- Cartographic annexes: Each plan includes cartography showing streamflow and precipitation monitoring stations, the official flood hazard and risk maps, and areas where preventive measures can avoid or reduce damage.
Co-benefits
Economic
The adoption of early warning systems and a preventive approach strengthens evidence-based decision-making and supports long-term planning. By enabling earlier action and better targeting of resources, these measures help reduce the costs associated with post-disaster recovery, emergency response and infrastructure repair, while significantly reducing damages. In the medium to long term, they also contribute to improving the efficiency of public spending by shifting investment towards prevention rather than crisis management.
Social
The project’s collaborative approach to disaster risk management has a positive impact on community cohesion and solidarity. By involving municipalities, local responders and citizens, it strengthens trust and coordination across governance levels. Improved access to information and alert systems enhances individual and collective security, while awareness-raising activities and training increase overall preparedness. This contributes to building a stronger culture of risk awareness and shared responsibility among citizens.
Environmental
The plan creates an enabling framework for implementing preventive and self-protection measures that may also include nature-based solutions, such as restoring natural floodplains, wetlands and other landscape features that enhance water retention. These approaches not only help reduce flood risks but also offer multiple co-benefits, including biodiversity enhancement, improved water quality and increased ecosystem resilience. By integrating natural elements into risk management strategies, the project supports more sustainable and climate-resilient territorial planning.
Replicability
Navarra’s approach offers a transferable blueprint for strengthening flood risk management and disaster preparedness across similar territories
Best suited for
Communities and territories exposed to flooding, especially where climate change is increasing the frequency or intensity of extreme rainfall.
Stakeholders' role
Multilevel coordination between local authorities, technical teams, emergency services, sectoral agencies and citizens to ensure rapid information flow and shared responsibility.
Built-in scalable tools
Monitoring networks, digital alert and real-time management tools, intermunicipal collaboration and citizen engagement to strengthen preparedness.
Funding pathways
Development is supported by European funding and sustained in the long term through municipal and regional budgets for system maintenance, updating and operation. Initial cost estimations: for implementation, drafting a plan may cost between EUR 5,000 and EUR 20,000, depending on the size of the municipality and its actual flood risk. A digital management tool could cost around EUR 15,000. In addition, it would be advisable to have an annual maintenance budget, which could be around EUR 5,000 per year, although this may be lower in smaller municipalities.
Drafting municipal emergency plans incorporating robust early warning systems in towns with significant flood risk facilitates local-level integration, which is closest to the population, in flood emergency management. This allows each local council to coordinate with Navarra Civil Protection and to be better prepared for potentially increasing risks due to climate change.
