Background Floods are among the costliest and deadliest natural hazards. Flash floods pose even more specific risks and challenges because of the short time between the rainfall and the flood event and because of their high peak discharges and destructive force. They can cause severe damage and loss of life as well as representing a pervasive constraint to regional development and a major source of erosion and pollution. On the other hand, however, water from flash floods can be an important source of water replenishment in arid regions, including many Arab and Mediterranean (including EU) States. Desert areas such as the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt are particularly affected. Wadis are particularly vulnerable to this kind of event - a wadi is a dry or nearly dry riverbed that can carry large amounts of water after heavy rainfall. A major challenge in these areas is therefore the wise use of floodwater to allow the sustainable management of water resources. A barrier is that observation data is generally scarce and model results are too coarse to allow accurate predictions. The importance of the challenge is only likely to increase since the frequency and impact of flash floods are expected to grow as a result of climate change. Objectives The project's overall objective was to achieve a sustainable management of water resources in the Sinai Peninsula. The project specifically aimed to develop and implement an integrated flash-flood management strategy for the Wadi Watier, which flows into the Gulf of Aqaba near Nuweiba City (South Sinai). The initiative planned to develop an early-warning system, using an innovative methodology for rainfall forecasting and rainfall-runoff and hydrodynamic modelling. The early warning system was expected to include response chains and strategies of action. The system would create flood-risk maps and identify the best storage options and suitable flood-protection measures, including adaptation of land-use. The implementation of adaptation measures would take into account the needs and interests of the local population and reflect local levels of risk and vulnerability. The project expected to deliver a master plan for flash-flood management, improved water storage options and facilities, and an emergency-response plan with the local authorities in the pilot area. Results The FlaFloM LIFE project successfully delivered a Flash Flood Manager for Wadi Watier in South Sinai - the first known early warning system for flash floods in the Arab world. Furthermore, the system developed was proven to forecast flash floods successfully up to 48 hours before the event, giving sufficient warning for emergency and protection measures. The different components of the Flash Flood Manager (FlaFloM), which are automatically activated and linked via a chain of software tools are: a rainfall forecasting model; hydrological model; hydraulic model; and warning module. To enable the ongoing collection of the necessary data, the project acquired and installed: a satellite receiving station at the beneficiary’s office (WRRI) 21 ground rainfall recorders in the study area a radar-based water-level recorder at the outlet of Wadi Watier.A methodology for flash-flood risk mapping was developed and applied to the whole Wadi Watier. The available ground and spatial data were collected and compiled into a geo-database. Flood-depth maps and flood-velocity maps were developed with the focus on vulnerable areas. GIS maps showed the spatial distribution of potential damages related to floodwater depths and flow velocity in Egyptian Pounds. The Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) developed by the project team successfully forecast a series of flash-flood events as much as 48 hours in advance and has continued to do so since the project’s end. The beneficiary emails the WRF results to the national crisis management centre in El Tur daily. The project was unable to complete the master plan and emergency response plan foreseen with the local authorities. However, the early warning signal has been integrated into existing procedures and the Ministry of Water Resources has asked WRRI to develop an atlas for flash floods for the whole Sinai peninsula. One of the ongoing challenges is to more successfully familiarise local populations – particularly the Bedouin – with the project’s goals and technologies. Nevertheless, the FlaFloM project remains an excellent example of good practice in the region in attempting to work with local populations through multi-stakeholder platforms. These discussions led to the unforeseen activity of constructing a traditional reservoir (haraba) to meet local needs. The project developed a website (www.flaflom.org), a general brochure, and thematic fact sheets in English and Arabic. The successful forecast of a flash flood in January 2010 led to 29 articles appearing in newspapers and magazines in Egypt, Belgium and the Netherlands and on global websites. The Oman sultanate has already expressed an interest in developing a similar early warning system based on the innovative solutions developed. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (see "Read more" section).