Integrated Climate Adaptation in Dresden: Insights from Flood Prevention

In 2002, Dresden was hit by heavy rains and floods that caused severe and costly damages to the city. This event initiated the establishment of a new municipal water management system to address the various urban flood-risks associated with the city’s urban creeks, groundwater, local sewage system, as well as the river Elbe. At the same time, the impact of climate change on urban structures, buildings, ecosystems and the technical infrastructure within Dresden are being systematically researched. This paper shares the first adaptation options being developed in response, specifically as they relate to the action fields advanced within the Dresden Flood Prevention Programme.