Water Flow Plan – New planning methodology for river catchments

Within the project, the Water Flow Plan concept will be developed and tested as a practical management and planning tool at river catchment level. The method is intended to bridge the gap between regional water management and municipal spatial planning. The plan will provide stakeholders within the river catchment with a shared frame of reference and direction and to enable decisive action in climate adaptation efforts.

The project will develop a new method to help municipalities, public authorities and other stakeholders prepare for a changing climate. The aim is to reduce the risks of both flooding and drought by creating a shared planning methodology at catchment level, where water-related issues can be addressed across administrative boundaries.

The work is based on researchers and practitioners jointly developing and testing a prototype for the Gavleån river catchment area. The method combines knowledge of hydrology, climate scenarios, land use, and risk maps with dialogues between municipalities, companies, landowners, and civil society. These dialogues will be used to develop and evaluate various scenarios.

The work is based on researchers and practitioners jointly developing and testing a prototype for the Gavleån river catchment area. The method combines knowledge of hydrology, climate scenarios, land use, and risk maps with dialogues between municipalities, companies, landowners, and civil society. These dialogues will be used to develop and evaluate various scenarios.

The project will result in a completed prototype for the Gavleån river catchment, guidance on how the method can be applied, and proposals for how it can be implemented in other river basins in Sweden and internationally.

The project will generate environmental benefits by strengthening society's capacity to manage water scarcity and flooding, contributing to more sustainable and resilient water management. Consequently, the project supports several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), Goal 13 (Climate Action), and Goal 15 (Life on Land).