As part of the 16th BHAAAS Days, held in June 2025 in Sarajevo, a workshop titled “Interdisciplinary Approaches to Flood Risk Management” was organized, led by BHAAAS member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Venera Simonović.
The following important conclusions and recommendations were made at the workshop:
1. Effective flood risk management requires an interdisciplinary approach that involves experts from the fields of civil engineering, hydraulic engineering, geology, geodesy, ecology, meteorology, information technology and other fields.
2. Special attention should be paid to timely processing and use of data in order to avoid gaps in action. An example is the situation in the Jablanica area, where despite the announcement of extreme precipitation by the Federal Hydrometeorological Institute, there was no adequate response, which indicates the need to improve coordination and exchange of information between competent services.
3. Guidelines should be developed as a basis for defining preventive measures for protection against torrents, floods and landslides, in the preparation of which hydrologists, geologists, geomechanics, statics engineers and representatives of civil protection would participate.
4. Civil service agencies should introduce mandatory education for officials who implement protection and rescue measures, as well as those who implement projects in landslides, torrents and flood areas, in all municipalities of the Federation of BiH, cantons, administrations, directorates, agencies and institutes.
5. It is necessary to organize continuous education of the local population living in risk areas, in order to train them to implement self-protection measures and familiarize them with maps of endangered areas.
6. It is recommended to develop a mobile emergency alert system, not only in the case of floods but also other natural disasters.
7. Curricula should be updated according to current challenges and climate change, so that young generations are educated about risks and protection measures in a timely manner.
8. Continuous investment in preventive measures is necessary - regular maintenance, cleaning and regulation of watercourses - in order to reduce material losses and protect human lives in a timely manner, which significantly reduces the costs of rehabilitation after flood events.
9. It is necessary to create a cadastre of torrential flows, which will show which areas are at the greatest risk of torrents and soil erosion, and to recognize the need to take preventive measures (e.g. construction of regulation facilities, afforestation and implementation of other natural solutions). The cadastre would serve as a basis for urban planners and spatial planners in future spatial planning, as they would have insight into particularly risky locations.
10. Develop river sediment maps, since river sediment raises the riverbed and reduces its capacity. These maps would provide an adequate assessment of flooding potential and data on where riverbed regulation is needed, so these maps would be used as a basis for flood and torrent protection. They are certainly necessary within climate models and erosion impact analysis.
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