REDUCE – Climate change adaptation through data-driven mitigation strategies for runoff reduction and improvement in coastal water quality

Identifying critical areas for coastal water quality and flood risk

Duration of the project

1.8.2025 – 31.12.2027

Source of funding

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

Total funding

413 364 €

Climate change is increasing flood risks and deteriorating coastal water quality in Southwest Finland. This Project identifies critical areas and provides evidence-based solutions to reduce runoff, improve coastal water quality, and support climate adaptation.

This project aims to identify critical areas and provide practical solutions and mitigation strategies for coastal water quality and flood risk assessment, in response to the increasing climate-change risks affecting coastal catchment areas in South-West Finland.

By utilizing advanced, high-resolution, and locally adaptable computational models alongside coastal water quality monitoring data, the project will pinpoint pollutant discharge hot spots in the region. It will also estimate how and through which routes these pollutants enter the Archipelago Sea.

There is an urgent need for this type of information, particularly in island municipalities, as current regional runoff and water quality models—such as WSFS-VEMALA—do not adequately cover these areas. This gap highlights the necessity for novel and updated, accessible solutions to support climate-change adaptation and the planning of flood and pollutant load mitigation strategies.
Through refined computational modeling and affordable monitoring solutions, the project seeks to generate new data-driven insights into both current and future hydrological and water quality conditions in the Archipelago Sea’s coastal zones. This work will form a foundation for assessing the potential impacts of extreme weather events on coastal runoff in unmonitored areas, where flooding, runoff, and pollutant loads are expected to increase due to climate change.

Based on these assessments, the project will deliver actionable solutions and guidelines for municipalities and other stakeholders. These will support the implementation of effective nature-based solutions, restoration efforts, and land management practices aimed at reducing pollutant loads and enhancing resilience to flooding and water quality degradation.