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nbsinfra.eu

NBSINFRA (101121210 – CITYNATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS INTEGRATION TO LOCAL URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION FOR A CLIMATE RESILIENT SOCIETY) is part of the HORIZON-CL3-2022-INFRA-01 programme.

The project's main objective is to enhance the protection of critical urban infrastructure against natural and anthropogenic threats by developing nature-based solutions (NBS) for a climate-resilient society. NBSINFRA is establishing five Urban Living Labs across Europe to explore how cities can address various challenges and remain resilient by bringing nature-based solutions to the forefront. Each Urban Living Lab aims to examine how NBS can protect local infrastructure, preserve biodiversity, and restore ecosystems under the pressures of climate change.

The duration of NBSINFRA is 36 months (from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2026).

The total project budget amounts to EUR 4,810,585.55, with 100% EU funding allocated to Ruse Municipality amounting to EUR 99,942.63.

The project is coordinated by Universidade do Minho (UMINHO), Portugal.

The project consortium includes 18 beneficiaries from 10 countries:

• Portugal: Universidade do Minho (UMINHO), Municipio de Aveiro
• Ireland: University College Dublin (UCD), FINGAL County Council, GEODESIGN HUB PVT. LIMITED (GHD)
• Germany: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Technische Hochschule Köln
• France: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), La Rochelle Université (LRU)
• Italy: Fondazione ICONS (ICONS)
• Czech Republic: ECOTEN URBAN COMFORT S.R.O. (Ecoten s.r.o.)
• Lithuania: Vilniaus Gedimino Technikos Universitetas (VILNIUS TECH)
• Malta: University of Malta (UOM)
• Greece: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (APTh)
• Bulgaria: Ruse Municipality

As part of the project, Ruse Municipality is implementing the ACWA early warning system for flood risk across its territory.

The ACWA system consists of stations installed on four bridges along the Rusenski Lom River within the municipality. These stations measure the distance from a radar sensor to the water surface, determining the current water level with millimetre precision. The data collected is processed and analysed by an embedded processor, which adjusts the frequency of data measurement and transmission when predefined threshold values are exceeded. When water levels rise, the station automatically activates three levels of alerts, sending text messages to a predefined list of responsible personnel.

The ACWA 3.0 system provides users with real-time river level data, accumulated statistics, and historical flood records from the monitored locations. Results are displayed in tabular form, graphical and geographic visualization on a screen, printable reports, and exportable Excel or CSV formats. The system supports the maintenance and provision of both specialised and public reports based on verified data, tracks all parameter changes along with user, date, and time information, and archives the data in real time for access by authorised users.