CROSSRISK
Principal Investigator at ZRC SAZU
Miha Pavšek, MA-
Original Title
Public warnings – reducing rain and snowfall related risks
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Acronym
CROSSRISK
Project Team
Mauro Hrvatin, PhD, Blaž Komac, PhD, Miha Pavšek, MA, Manca Volk Bahun, PhD, Petra Rus, PhD-
Project ID
4216
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Duration
1 June 2018–31 May 2021 -
Lead Partner
Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik, Kundenservice Steiermark (ZAMG)…
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Project Leader
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Financial Source
Partners
Univerza v Mariboru (UM), Fakulteta za elektrotehniko, računalništvo in informa…, Agencija Republike Slovenije za okolje (ARSO), Ljubljana, Slovenija, Amt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung, Abteilung 14 – Wasserwirtschaft, Ress…, Amt der Kärntner Landesregierung, Abteilung 8 – Umwelt, Energie und Naturschutz…, FH JOANNEUM (FHJ), Fakultät für Elektrotechnik, Gradec, Avstrija
Interreg project CROSSRISK: Public warnings – reducing rain and snowfall related risks
The population of the Interreg region Slovenia-Austria is exposed to several natural hazards caused by rain and snow. Both countries have considerable experience in that field, but information on natural hazards are often assessed and communicated differently. Therefore the CROSSRISK project aims reducing related risks by establishing unified cross-border warning systems and risk communication in the SI-AT region.
One example is the avalanche bulletin in the Zelenica Mountain region. This is one of the most frequently visited destinations in the border area between Slovenia and Austria but today avalanche hazard is evaluated independently (and differently) by Slovenian and Austrian experts. Determining avalanche hazard is important because some access routes cross avalanche areas in this region. Although the differences in avalanche hazard levels are expected due to natural conditions, such inconsistencies unsettle the users of avalanche bulletins and complicate personal decision-making. All this combined often leads to risky behaviour and hazardous situations. Other examples are flood risk assessment and communication in the cross-border Mur catchment and warnings related to heavy precipitation events.
In order to reduce risk related to precipitation and snow, the Slovenian and Austrian CROSSRISK project partners are going to produce unified cross-border warnings for precipitation-related hazards, such as avalanches and floods.
Technically and scientifically improved hydrological models, snow models and avalanche warning techniques will be developed and implemented, in order to issue more accurate warnings. The project is going to be integrated into existing operational services. The continued use of these improvements will bring long-term benefit for the society.
The cross-border warnings are going to be multilingual in order to reach local population, local and regional decision-makers, and risk managers as well as local and foreign tourists, such as ski tourers, snow-shoers, and freeriders. The cross-border warnings are going to be implemented throughout the program region.
As it is important to "teach the teachers", the projects outcomes are going to be used for trainings of stakeholders, such as civil protection, mountaineering societies, and general public to increase their knowledge, skills and the awareness. The project, working on the local, regional, and SI-AT program region levels will help reduce flood and avalanche risk which is in line with the UN Sendai Framework and with endeavours to adapt to climate change. CROSSRISK will thus implement the EU's macro-regional strategy for the Alpine Space, the Floods Directive and the EU Strategy for the Danube Region.
Visit us on official project webpage at https://crossrisk.zrc-sazu.si/ and on FB-page of Anton Melik Geographical institute.
The project consists of four work packages, each of which is defined by main immediate project outputs (WP T1–T4) or project specific objectives (WP C). Our most important results or outputs within the project can be observed in the links at the bottom of this page and are added simultaneously after being realised. ZRC SAZU is involved in three out of four work packages (WP T1, T3 and T4). A component part of the project are also work packages management (WP M) and communication (WP C); responsible for the first is the leading partner (ZAMG) and for the communication the members of Anton Melik Geographical Institute ZRC SAZU.
Work package T1 [SNOW]:
New products to forecast risks and chances related to snowgion
(Responsible project partner: ZAMG)
– User-tailored snow-related forecasts
– Local avalanche risk assessment
– Support for long term planning under climate change
Work package T2 [FLOOD]:
Improved hydrological forecasts for better flood warnings
(Responsible project partner: A 14)
– Improved flood forecasting
– Flood scenarios as basis for flood contingency plans
– Improvement of monitoring the rivers’ discharges
– Impact of climate change on evolution of precipitation and floods
Work package T3 [DELIVERY]:
New product delivery methods to highlight risks and chances related to snow and floods
(Responsible project partner: ARSO)
– Improved technical methods for delivery and dissemination of warning and forecast products
– Improved accessibility of warning and forecast products
Work package T4 [AWARE]:
Improved awareness and perception of snow and flooding-related risks and chances
(Responsible project partner: UM)
– New design concepts for more understandable user products
– Improved decisions of avalanche warners and avalanche commissions
– Better public awareness about warnings
– Better trained and informed target groups
Work package WP C [COMMUNICATION]:
(Responsible project partner: ZRC SAZU)
– Improved cooperation of institutions
– Improved forecasts and warnings
– Improved awareness and comprehension
Within activities of this work package, leaded by ZRC SAZU, and involving all other project partners, we will particularly focus on means and methods for national, cross-border and international communication and dissemination of public forecasting and warning services products designed for end-users of the project. The main objectives are to foster the cooperation and mutual understanding between project partners and the relevant target groups, to improve the knowledge of the target groups regarding forecasts and warnings and to raise awareness and preparedness for risks and chances of other rain and snowfall related information/notification, thus enhancing the capabilities for their proper decision making and risk management improvement. The target groups will be adequately informed about novelties, advantages, and possibilities introduced by the project from the first until the last day and also after the end of the project.
Most important results or outputs within the project is possible to be viewed through this links and will be added simultaneously after being realised.