Cross-border disaster control exercise: preparing for floods!

Cross-border disaster control exercise: preparing for floods!

Today, June 30, 2025, the members of the Flood & Heavy Rain Working Group gathered in Münster for their third working meeting. This group was launched in 2024 to specifically counteract the increasing flood and heavy rain events in the region. The initiative is part of the Cross-Border Platform for Regional Water Management (GPRW), in which various partners have come together. The districts of Emsland, the county of Bentheim as well as the districts of Borken and Steinfurt and various Dutch water sheep are represented. An important point that came up during the meeting was the concept for a joint disaster response exercise that the German-Dutch authorities would like to coordinate. This exercise is planned for spring 2027.

The working group leader Carsten Tappert presented the goals of the upcoming exercise, which are based on the experiences of the flood protection exercise “Unlimited Rain” from 2021. The aim is to optimize cross-border protective measures and ensure smooth communication between the authorities involved. Jan-Hendrik Resing informed the participants about the relevant water levels and the organizational structures in the Borken district during such events. A crucial aspect of the exercise will be updating the accessibility of all affected authorities in order to be able to respond better in an emergency.

Prevention in other regions

In Berlin they also rely on comprehensive precautionary measures. The Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment has published a heavy rain warning map and heavy rain danger maps. These maps serve as a guide and document possible flood risks that can occur, particularly during heavy rain events. They also contain information from operations by the Berlin fire department. The dangers are shown in detail, particularly in areas such as Moabit or at the airport lake, in order to improve targeted protective measures for buildings and infrastructure.

Heavy rain risk management is a joint task in which federal and state authorities as well as companies and citizens are actively involved. The Berliner Wasserbetriebe and the Federal Office of Cartography and Geodesy are working on the further development of risk assessments and supporting citizens in planning and implementing stormwater management measures. Similar to North Rhine-Westphalia, a guide for “municipal heavy rain risk management” was also created in Baden-Württemberg.

Uniform measures for municipalities

Not only can heavy rain cause devastating damage, but it is also difficult to predict. The state of Baden-Württemberg is therefore supporting municipalities that use the new guidelines with up to 70 percent of the costs for water analyzes and damage prevention measures. These subsidies are part of a comprehensive action plan that includes information for the public, crisis management and structural changes to improve water retention.

This makes it clear that the regions in Germany as well as in neighboring countries are pulling together to meet the challenges posed by heavy rain and flooding in a targeted and coordinated manner. The exchange of information and joint training are crucial for successfully dealing with such natural events.

For further information on the measures in each region: nordnews.de, berlin.de, rp.baden-wuerttemberg.de.