2024 Reports

Flooding Mitigation and Adaptation Strategy for Apartadó (Colombia) with “Apartadó’s River Master Plan”

Arteaga-Morales, Sara; Vélez-Duque, Juliana

Apartadó is located along the Apartadó River in the Urabá region of Colombia and holds one of the 36 recognized biodiversity hotspots established by the Conservation International organization. The Tumbes- Chocó- Magdalena. It is also home to seventy-two indigenous and six Afro-Colombian communities. The Apartadó River crosses the city from east to west. Severe flash flooding occurs in the river basin approximately every 6 to 10 years, exposing almost half of the city of Apartadó and its neighborhoods.
With precipitation projected to increase due to climate change, extreme weather events associated with the river will become stronger and far more frequent. Recognizing the need to adapt to and mitigate climate change, the Apartadó River Master Plan aims to reduce risk exposure and increase flooding protection along the river basin through participatory planning, nature-based solutions and ecosystem restoration.