Sustainable risk management of trouble spots caused by heavy rainfall events: Citizen Science app and data analytics for residents and authorities

Abstract. To address the increasing threat of heavy rainfall events the FloReST (Urban Flood Resilience – Smart Tools) project focuses on the identification and prediction of emergency flow paths in urban areas and enhancing risk management and communication. The project developed a Citizen Science app to document and report pluvial flood risks in urban areas due to the fact that conventional flood protection has so far focused mainly on fluvial hazards. The population is involved in sustainable risk minimisation through the active use of the app and local risk awareness. Additionally, the app includes educational functions through a user guidance on categorizing pluvial hazards and taking preventive measures. The app is complemented by a Geo Data Warehouse, which enables authorities to analyse and visualise the data transmitted by users via customisable dashboards. Although there are still some technical limitations, such as limited offline functionality and inaccuracies in the use of Global Navigation Satellite Systems, these may be addressed in future research. Thanks to its open-source design, the system remains scalable and can be adapted to other regions worldwide. Overall, the Citizen Science app and Geo Data Warehouse form an innovative, participatory tool that improves the resilience of cities to climate change through inclusive, data-driven risk management.