Coping with floods: complementarity of structural and non-structural measures

摘要

Present day problems related to the sustainable and effective management of floods are seen to require a broad approach which should incorporate an integrated view of strategies, policies, plans, specific projects and other measures of social and institutional character. The selection and implementation of effective and optimised strategies and of their component actions are nowadays a common and important challenge in many regions, notably in developing countries, characterised by their expanding populations, growing needs and limitation of available resources. The paper is focused on one aspect of this complex: it attempts to highlight the need for an integration of structural and non-structural measures to achieve a successful solution of flood related problems. The selected examples illustrate different situations and contexts and put in evidence the need to match these measures along different phases of development and implementation of projects dealing with floods. The paper presents some conclusions as a contribution to orient further needed efforts in the continued search of the optimal balance between structural and non-structural measures to manage floods.