Pamplona has updated its Municipal Flood Plan to strengthen prevention and response to rising water levels in the Arga, Sadar and Elorz rivers, adapting it to the new challenges posed by climate change.

The City Council of Pamplona has commissioned our Disaster Risk Reduction Service to review and expand the 2010 plan, incorporating predictive models powered by artificial intelligence (AI). These models will enable more accurate forecasting of flood events and enhance both urban management and public safety.

According to Spain’s Meteorological Agency ( AEMET), the summer of 2025 was the warmest on record, with temperature anomalies exceeding 2 °C above average. Although Navarra experienced some locally wet episodes, the general trend indicates a rise in extreme weather events.

The 2021 floods, which increased the flow of the Arga River to 508 m³/s, clearly demonstrated the need to update emergency protocols and reinforce the city’s ability to anticipate such events.

Since 2013, we have collaborated with the Pamplona City Council to improve its emergency management systems, driving the digitalisation of processes and the development of the Multi-Risk Platform—an evolution of the former NOE platform.

The renewed Flood Plan, which defines how the city must act in the event of flooding in the Arga, Sadar and Elorz rivers, will integrate AI-based predictive models. These models will allow more precise forecasting of river surges and the automatic activation of citizen alert systems via SMS.

The combination of AI, real-time data analysis, and operational coordination strengthens the municipality’s capacity to manage resources and respond swiftly in critical situations.

The updated document maintains the four emergency phases (from pre-alert to level 3 emergency), each linked to a catalogue of resources, specific actions and designated responsibilities.

For the first time, the plan also includes a protocol for a potential failure of the Eugui dam—a preventive measure designed to ensure a more effective and coordinated response among public administrations, even in low-probability but high-impact scenarios.

Through our service, we continue to promote risk management based on anticipation, digitalisation and people’s safety.

Urban resilience is not built solely on infrastructure, but also on information, planning and technology applied to public safety.

Pamplona thus takes a decisive step towards a safer, smarter and better-prepared future in the face of climate change—and we are proud to remain part of that transformation.

Read in Diario de Noticias