dws-arcadis-rio-caunca-floods-2013
A Dutch consortium with consultancy firm Arcadis in the lead has been awarded a contract to develop a master plan for flood risk management of the Cauca river basin in Western Colombia.

Other partners in the consortium are research institute Deltares, consultancy firm Daphnia, public development organisation for rural areas Dienst Landelijk Gebied (DLG) and waterboard De Dommel.

The consortium works closely together with experts from Corporación Autónoma Regional del Colombia's Valle del Cauca.

The master plan is expected to be ready by March 2015.

dws-arcadis-rio-cauca-cali-floods-350px  Flooded Rio Cauca, Cali, March 2011

Involvement all stakeholders
Problems with water management are a major cause for the recurring floods in the Cauca river basin. These floods do not only pose a direct threat to the people that live along the river, but also cause much economic damage .

To reduce the impact of floods, the consortium intends to include the principles of the national Dutch programme "Room for the River" in the master plan.

Therefore it is essential that authorities and main social-economic stakeholders fully support the master plan.

Their active and timely involvement in the development of the master plan is an important key factor to success .

Dutch contractor
The project is contracted by Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (formerly AgentschapNL), an agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands.

Both countries have a common strategic cooperation within the Colombia Netherlands Water Partnership. This partnership allows the Netherlands to share its knowledge and expertise in the field of water management and support Colombia to solve its water problem.

This news item was originally published on the websites of Arcadis and of Holland Colombia Water Platform (in Dutch only).

 

Also read on this website
Colombian and Dutch government sign MOU on integrated river basin management for Magdelena and Cauca rivers, 23 January 2012
Study Royal HaskoningDHV advices Colombian city Cali to strengthen river dikes for 500-years flood protection, 21 December 2012

More information
Holland Colombia Water Platform
Bogota, Colombia
+57 1 744 9566 
www.hcwp.nl