End of the GarMultiRisk project

On May 29, 2025, the GarMultiRisk project was completed. After two years of work, the resulting product is the Natural Risk Reduction and Management Plan for the Garrotxa region, which will soon be available for download on this website.

Below is a description of the main tasks carried out during the project:

1. Assessment of the main natural hazards affecting the Garrotxa region, which included:

• Compilation and construction of a database collecting all events of six different natural hazards (floods, earthquakes, wildfires, rockfalls, subsidences, and landslides) that occurred in Garrotxa between January 1, 1900 and December 31, 2023 (123 years).

• Description of the volcanic eruption hazard in the region. This hazard was not included in the aforementioned database because no eruptions occurred within the studied time range (1900–2023).

• Development of susceptibility maps for each of the considered natural hazards (floods, earthquakes, wildfires, rockfalls, subsidences, and landslides). These maps show which areas of the region are more likely to be affected by each hazard, based on the environmental variables (rainfall, temperature, soil type, among others) that influence each phenomenon.

• For wildfires and floods, susceptibility maps were also created taking into account the effects of climate change in the short (2011–2040), medium (2041–2070), and long term (2071–2100). The precipitation and temperature data used for these future projections came from the Climate Change Scenario Viewer of Spain's Climate Change Adaptation Platform (AdapteCCa).

• Development of hazard maps for each of the considered natural hazards, showing which areas have a higher probability of being affected, based on both terrain environmental variables (susceptibility) and the historical record (database).

• Creation of three separate maps showing critical elements present in the region:

  • Transport routes and industrial centers, such as heliports, bus stations, industrial complexes, roads, and tunnels.

  • Supply network elements, such as gas stations, telecommunications antennas, waste collection points, water supply, gas network, fiber optic, and electricity grid.

  • Public facilities, such as health and education centers, town halls, civic centers, command centers, reception centers, the Local Operational Coordination Center (CECOPAL), and primary care centers.

These maps were compared with the various hazard maps to make a preliminary assessment of the region's vulnerability, that is, the extent to which an exposed element might suffer damage from a natural hazard.

• Development of a total hazard map, produced by overlaying the individual hazard maps (floods, earthquakes, wildfires, rockfalls, subsidence, and landslides).

• Simulation of specific scenarios, such as:

  • How three wildfires might spread in the region under different humidity and wind conditions.

  • What a flood might look like under varying rainfall intensities along the Fluvià river stretch between Les Tries (Olot) and Sant Joan les Fonts.

  • The ground shaking caused by earthquakes of different magnitudes.

  • How lava would flow from a potential eruption of Croscat and Montsacopa volcanoes.

    
    

2. Survey aimed at understanding the natural risk perception of the Garrotxa citizens. Key findings include:

• The natural hazards that most concern are related to meteorological phenomena, such as droughts, floods, and wildfires.

• Lack of confidence in their own ability to respond in a natural hazard situation.

• Lack of confidence in the authorities managing the risk.

  
  

3. Discussion groups were held with technical staff, emergency personnel, and political representatives, which highlighted the main needs of these groups in terms of risk management, including:

• Strong interest in the municipal level and how they can act.

• Lack of awareness of some resources and tools already available to them.

  
  

4. Based on all the information gathered above, future challenges were identified, such as:

• The need to revise the region's geological maps to have more information available for better risk assessment.

• Lack of a common database format and structure among the different administrations responsible for collecting data on natural hazards.

• Lack of ongoing training for all personnel involved in natural risk management.

• Room for improvement in the population’s perception of natural risk.

  
  

5. Finally, a set of recommendations grouped into four major plans was proposed:

• Research Plan: focused on future scientific research to be undertaken.

• Monitoring Plan: aimed at improving the sensor network that collects environmental variable data in the region.

• Education Plan: with training proposals targeted at primary and secondary school students, the adult population, local authorities, and technical and risk management personnel.

• Management Plan: explaining how to act before, during, and after the impact of a natural hazard, taking into account the phases of the risk management cycle (prevention, preparedness, emergency, and post-emergency).

  
  

In summary, the GarMultiRisk project, through the Natural Risk Reduction and Management Plan, provides a roadmap for the Garrotxa County Council to implement some of the proposed recommendations and thus build a society in Garrotxa better prepared to face future challenges, especially those derived from the effects of climate change in mountain areas.

Pictures: Examples of natural hazards impacts occurred in the Garrotxa region (drought, floods, strong wind).

The GarMultiRisk project is supported by the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, through the grant program for projects that contribute to implementing the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (2021–2030).

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