Validations of Plans to improve water safety in La Mojana

La Mojana Basin is one of the most flood-risked places in the world due to its geographical position. The area was again badly hit by flooding in 2011, when heavy rains caused the Cauca river to burst its banks. The most important reasons for these floodings can be found in inadequate management of the region; infrastructure like dykes and roads have been implemented without knowledge of the hydrology of the Mojana Basin. Also, agricultural activities like cattle raising are taking in account the functions of wetlands within a delta like the Mojana.

In 2011, the National Planning Department (DNP) commissioned the National University of Colombian to come up with different solutions for the Mojana region. The final report conducted by the National University of Colombian has been presented; President Santos has demanded a validation and review on this report by the Dutch to be sure that the given conclusions of the report are trustworthy.

After a limited tender procedure Stichting Deltares has been appointed by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) to validate the findings of the available study. On the basis of this review, Stichting Deltares carried out technical assistance to the Adaption Fund with the purpose of defining the scenarios of intervention for flood risk reduction in the Mojana Basin.