ABM has taken part in the European LocAll4Flood project, an initiative under the Interreg programme aimed at improving prevention and resilience against flooding in Mediterranean climate areas.
The project has analysed the behaviour of flash floods across several Mediterranean catchments —characterised by intense rainfall events and very fast hydrological response— and their impact on urban areas with high exposure to risk. In total, nine pilot projects have been carried out in different territories, including Bulgaria, Greece, Malta, Italy, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.
Within this framework, ABM has participated in the pilot project developed in Vic, led by the Centre Tecnològic Beta, carrying out flood risk studies and territorial diagnosis. Based on this analysis, a set of actions has been proposed to reduce flood risk through nature-based solutions.
These solutions offer alternatives to traditional grey infrastructure (based on concrete) and promote the transformation of existing spaces —such as agricultural land or underused areas— into river parks capable of attenuating flood flows. The aim is to retain part of the water during peak flow events and thus reduce pressure on urban areas.
The project results were presented at the final event held in Perpignan, where ABM had a prominent role as the only representative of the private sector in the roundtables.
During this international meeting, professionals from academia and public administrations across different countries shared experiences and solutions related to flood risk management.
ABM participated in two key sessions:
ABM’s participation generated significant interest among attendees, particularly regarding the analysis methodologies, tools used and the company’s experience in flood risk and early warning system projects.
The fact that different project partners invited ABM professionals to contribute to the event highlights the company’s positioning as a reference in hydraulic engineering and flood risk management.
One of the main takeaways from the project is that the risks associated with flash floods are not exclusive to the Mediterranean region. During the event, it was highlighted that northern European territories also face similar events, reinforcing the need to address this challenge from a global and collaborative perspective.
