New interdisziplinary publication from Michèle Knodt and Lucas Flath

28.07.2025

Floods don’t wait for interdepartmental emails.

In our new open-access article from LOEWE emergenCITY at Technische Universität Darmstadt, we take a closer look at this blind spot: how internal coordination within local governments shapes their ability to manage flood risks.

Using the case of a medium-sized city in Germany, Wibke de Boer, Lucas Flath, Britta_Schmalz and I examined what holds back effective collaboration across departments and practical improvements.

What we found:

Fragmented responsibilities: Spread across planning, infrastructure, environment, and emergency services—but often poorly aligned.

Too little, too late: Coordination happens late, informally, and under pressure.

Not a knowledge gap: It’s a lack of structure and coordination mechanisms.

Capacity constraints: Medium-sized cities face real limitations in staff, time, and resources.

Practical solutions exist: Boundary-spanning roles, informal routines, and lean working groups can make a real difference.

Read the full article in Water (Open Access):

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/17/15/2212