Susanne Nielsen realizes that it is probably only a matter of time before her parents' summer house at Slettestrand in North Jutland is affected by flooding. Because under the house, which is just 400 meters from the bay of Jammerbugt in the municipality of the same name, the groundwater level is now often so high that there is a risk that large amounts of rain will not be able to seep away, but rather enter the house.
"It's a concern we have if we get a lot of rain," she admits.
To give residents and decision-makers the best chance to protect themselves against flooding in the area, researchers from DTU have helped Jammerbugt Municipality develop an early warning tool. It can provide 48 hours' notice of local flooding along rivers, streams, and coastal areas in the municipality. It is the first of its kind to provide local flood warnings.
"It will give us time to react if necessary, so it will be a huge help," says Susanne Nielsen from her home in Aalborg – some 40 kilometres away from the summer house which she looks after for her parents, who live in Norway.
