IRMA-SPONGE - Interreg Rhine-Meuse Activity on Flood Risk

The IRMA-SPONGE Umbrella Program brought together 13 European scientific projects researching a wide range of flood risk management issues along the Rivers Rhine and Meuse. The overall aim was defined as the development of methodologies and tools to assess the impact of flood risk reduction measures and scenarios. This to support the spatial planning process in establishing alternative strategies for an optimal realisation of the hydraulic, economical and ecological functions of the Rhine and Meuse River Basins. The main objectives of IRMA-SPONGE were to a) enhance the level of scientific input to flood management, and b) promote transboundary co-operation. Specific fields of interest were: # Efficiency of flood risk reduction measures # Flood risk assessment # Sustainable flood risk management # Public participation in flood management issues