C O N T E N T S - Physical Land Resources - Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Technical support for the modelling tools of the HydraulicResearch Laboratory of the Flemish CommunityThe laboratory supports the Hydrologic Information Centre of the Ministry of the FlemishCommunity for the exploitation of its modelling tools.The support includes• The updating and improvement (sensitivity analysis, calibration) of the availablemodels• The use of models for scenario analysis• The development of a version and scenario management systemW. Bauwens, B. Pannemans and L. CoenFunding: AWZ – Afdeling Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium en Hydrologisch OnderzoekFlash floods in Egypt: protection and management(Flash Flood Manager – FlaFloM)EU LIFE Third Countries Fund Project (LIFE06/TCY/ET/00232)An overall aim of this project is to achieve sustainable management of water resources inthe study area. This includes protection against flash floods and consequent wise use offloodwater. Ironically, in Sinai peninsula of Egypt that suffers from severe watershortages, flash floods are responsible for the loss of life, a severe blow to regionaldevelopment and the main source of erosion and accidental pollution. The main objectiveof the project is to develop and implement an integrated flash flood management plan forWadi Watier (South Sinai). This consists of an innovative early warning system, namedFlash Flood Manager (FlaFloM) together with integrated management plans based onstakeholder participation. In the pilot area, flash floods are characterized by an enormousflow which carries large amounts of sediments and debris to the tourist hub and harbourof Nuweiba, located in the Delta of Wadi Watier. This project will serve tourism, Bedouinand trade on a sustainable basis.The role of the VUB in this project mainly consists of the development of the Rainfallrunoffforecast model for FlaFloM.Partners: WRRI, Egypt (co-ordinator), Soresma n.v., VUB (W. Bauwens & AhmedAbdelkhalek).- 62 -