SPARC
Stakeholder participation for climate adaptation – data crowdsourcing for improved urban flood risk management (SPARC) is a 4-year research project funded by FORMAS on cloudburst flood risk and its management. The project involves a trans-disciplinary project group including Karlstad University, Lund University, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Trelleborg municipality, Karlstad municipality, and the City of Gothenburg.
The objectives of the project are:
- To develop systematic management of crowdsourced data for rain and flood characteristics, and to enhance resolution and accuracy of existing official rain data from SMHI and Swedish municipalities.
- To validate the significance of high-resolution input data on the performance of two hydraulic models: LISFLOOD and HEC-RAS.
- To increase the knowledge of flood damage to the built environment and to establish a method for systematic and secure damage data collection.
- To assess and communicate the use of small-scale flood adaptation measures as a way for property owners to be part of a space-for-water approach to reduce flood risk for themselves and their communities.
Work in the project is organised in four interconnected work packages:
WP 1: Innovative data collection and high-resolution urban flood modelling
Focus: Collect rain data and water depth data from extreme events using crowdsourcing. Assess the added value for modelling.
Stakeholder participation: Engage citizens in rain data collection and observations of flood depth and extent.
WP 2: Systematic management of urban flood damage data
Focus: Systematically collect and analyse damage data. Develop methods for data collection and secure management.
Stakeholder participation: Involve citizens, municipal water utilities, and insurance companies in systematic collection, management and use of damage data.
WP 3: Risk communication and integration of urban rain adaptation measures
Focus: Integrate and communicate the use of small-scale adaptation measures (SSA) in urban flood risk management.
Stakeholder participation: Establish focus groups of house owners and municipal planning/ building officers as a forum for risk communication.
WP 4: Project management and communication
Publications