Background Municipalities from Slovakia’s Ondávka region (including Baškovce, Černina, Gruzovce, Hrubov, Ohradzeny, Slovenská Volová, Sopkovce and Turcovce municipalities) have all been adversely affected by flooding in the past. Yet little has been done to address the problem at its source. Dams have been used to contain water flows but these can have negative socio-economic, cultural and environmental impacts. Alternative and more natural methods of flood control exist that could be applied to the tackle the increasing threat of floods in the municipality areas. This project seeks to find solutions to help retain rainwater on land in order to reduce flood risks. Such an approach can help to gradually renew an area’s water retention capacity. It can also help tackle water management challenges associated with ‘soil sealing’ which causes loss of soil resources as a result of the covering of land for housing, roads or other construction work. Objectives The Hydro-climate recovery targets land within the Ondávka municipalitiesof Baškovce, Černina, Gruzovce, Hrubov, Ohradzeny, Slovenská Volová, Sopkovce and Turcovce. Project objectives focus on establishing environmentally sustainable hydrological conditions via a coordinated and integrated programme of interventions such as the re-cultivation of logging roads and other connecting paths, construction of flow control barriers, water retention ponds and rainwater gardens, and other measures for the prevention of excess rainwater run-off from land. This integrated approach to rainwater protection will have numerous positive effects such as preventing flooding, drought and erosion and mitigating the negative effects of climate change. The project will demonstrate new construction methods for retaining rainwater where it falls so that it has the chance to fill groundwater sources, feed vegetation, and evaporate, thereby revitalising the local hydrological cycle and helping to maintain a stable climate. Natural flow control barriers in streams, rainwater gardens, retention ponds and water harvesting techniques will all represent tangible aspects of the project providing demonstrative effects. In addition, the project aims to change local communities’ philosophical approach to, and control of, rainwater management. Expected results A detailed and concise inventory of the geographic features, health and state of the local landscape and a methodology for monitoring the project. The inventory will include accurate maps of project sites where the various water retention measures will be implemented. A total of 10 methodologies will be used for the assessment and selection of project sites; Introduction of 20 water retention ponds, 35 rainwater gardens, 150 flow control barriers and the re-cultivation of 7 km of old logging roads with an expected retention of 120 000 m3 of water; Creation of 88 new jobs throughout the duration of the project (80 workers, 8 new water professionals);Monitoring and collection of data determining the effectiveness and impacts of project measures on the local environment. A manual entitled 'Revitalising the climate in my region' will be published in both Slovak and English. This will outline the project’s methodologies, theories, results and philosophies; and More than 130 participants will attend dissemination events where the results, successes and lessons learned from project will be presented.