Tools for Integrated Flood Management

What are IFM Tools and why are they important?

Integrated Flood Management (IFM) requires various specialists to work together under a joint flood management strategy or policy. While the overall aims and objectives of such policy are usually explicitly provided, the consequences for the application of various principles are far less understood. In this context flood management tools could be described as any methodology or instrument to facilitate the application of these principles of multi-disciplinary and participatory decision making in their pursuit to provide integrated and sustainable flood management solutions. Therefore, the Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM) is making an effort to provide guidance tools for flood managers and various other specialists working in flood management.

These tools are set under the umbrella of the “Flood Management Tools Series" They are intended to help gain quick access to relevant technical guidance over the internet. The guidance contained in these tools is intended to clarify the role and context of IFM in applying specific tools. The Tools seek to incorporate various relevant materials previously scattered over the Internet and other sources.

The compilation of the tools is an ongoing process and as such these tools should be considered as a living draft. They will be periodically updated based on sharing experiences with the readers. See below for details.

Which Tools are already available?

Following tools are available for your use and inputs (click below to read the individual tools):

	Applying Environmental Assessment for Flood Management (0.4 MB)
	This tool provides flood management practitioners a generic approach for integrating environmental considerations into the decision-making processes in basin flood management on project as well as strategic levels. As such, it provides generic approaches for conducting Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) at the basin flood management planning stage and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) at the project design and implementation stage.

	Conducting Flood Loss Assessments (0.7 MB)
	This tool sets out to provide for the operational level a lead-in on available concepts and methods to assess flood losses for three major purposes: the activation and facilitation of local and external help, the formulation of recovery plans, and long-term development planning and policy reform in the realm of flood management.

	Formulating a Basin Flood Management Plan (1.4 MB)
	This tool guides the contents and basic procedure of basin flood management planning, such as national development vision/policy and enabling mechanism of planning. The objectives of basin flood management plan are to protect life and property from flood risks and enhance the capability of socio-economic development in the flood plains to realize the development vision in a basin through Integrated Flood Management (IFM).

	Organizing Community Participation for Flood Management (0.7 MB)
	This tool provides general guidelines for effectively organizing community activities to ensure participation at various levels of decision-making and capacity building in flood management. Several issues related to the engagement of flood managers, NGOs, and policy makers in harmonizing community activities with other development policies and natural disaster, are also addressed to build necessary institutional frameworks to enhance community participation.

	Reservoir Operations and Managed Flows (0.5 MB)
	This tool aims to provide guidance for reservoir operations and managing flows that optimize the benefits from ecosystems in the flood plains and socio-economic activities on those. It provides guidance on the issues that need to be addressed in designing and operating reservoirs to meet the requirements of various users and uses along with the ecological needs . The Tool highlights various aspects of reservoir operation and discusses possibilities how flows can be managed successfully to minimize their adverse impacts.

	The Role of Land-Use Planning in Flood Management (1.3 MB)
	This Tool identifies the processes and policy principles that necessitate a linkage of land use planning in integrated flood management. It provides an overview of land use planning instruments considered applicable in the flood management context, to identify the challenges and opportunities to a closer linkage between the various sectors concerned and to provide guidance as to how those sectors can work together.

	Urban Flood Risk Management (1.4 MB) New!!
	The tool aims to bring the different aspects of urban flood risks together under the umbrella of a risk management approach that aims to explain urban flood risks as well as to show possibilities of how they can be managed successfully. This tool argues that only the combination of spatial, technical and organizational measures will lead to a more sustainable and effective management of urban flood risks.

How can YOU contribute to the development process of IFM Tools?

The Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM) encourages flood managers and other experts engaged in flood management to participate in the enrichment of the "Flood Management Tools Series". For the purpose comments and other inputs, such as important new resource link or publication are cordially invited. Contributions that are included in the next revision of the tool would be appropriately acknowledged. Please submit your inputs to the following e-mail address: apfm@wmo.int indicating in the ‘SubjectEline the name of the particular Tool. For easy reference while providing inputs and comments please refer to the paragraph numbers.

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