Mampostón Sub-Basin Flood Resilience Assessment Project
Cuba
Project Overview
Background & Goal
Cuba experiences extreme weather phenomena including hurricanes, torrential rains, and storm surges during May to October, with approximately 80% of annual rainfall occurring in this period. The Mampostón sub-basin area within the Mayabeque River basin is particularly vulnerable to both flooding and drought due to its geographical characteristics. During heavy rainfall, water drains from higher altitudes into the plain, overwhelming the soil which has lost its absorption capacity due to exploitation and poor management. These floods damage homes, businesses, public spaces, and agricultural production.
The goal was to conduct a comprehensive flood risk assessment of the Mampostón sub-basin and develop an actionable deployment strategy for WaveDam mobile barriers to protect vulnerable communities against recurring flood events while enabling water storage for drought periods.
Solution
WaveSave delivered a multi-faceted flood resilience assessment including:
- Advanced Hydrological Analysis
- Strategic Barrier Placement Planning
- Data-Driven Decision Support System
- Stakeholder Engagement Framework
Clients and Donors
This flood resilience assessment project was implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and local authorities from the Güines municipality as part of the “Tarea Vida” climate adaptation program in Cuba
.
Location
Location: Mayabeque province, Cuba
Timeline: 2024
Project impact
- Flood risk map for Mampostón sub-basin
- Identified 14 flood intervention points
- Estimated to flood dama reduction
- Potential to capture 1.5 mio l of floodwater
- Implementation roadmap for WaveDam
- Engaged 100+ community stakeholders
Key highlights
WaveDam is a mobile flood barrier designed to provide rapid and effective flood protection. Unlike traditional flood defenses, WaveDam can be deployed quickly.
Rapid deployment
Deployed 200 m of SLAMDAM in less than 2 hours to prevent glacier-melt flooding.
Community training
Local teams were trained in deploying and managing SLAMDAM and the early warning system.
Early warning system
Enhanced early flood warning with integrated monitoring and communication tools.
Resilience building
Reduced flood damage to homes and protected 250 hectares of farmland.
Early warning system
Enhanced early flood warning with integrated monitoring and communication tools.
Sustainable impact
Increased long-term flood resilience through community empowerment and scalable technology
Testimonials
What our clients say
The SLAMDAM project has successfully demonstrated how innovative flood barriers can protect vulnerable areas in Gilgit-Baltistan, offering a sustainable solution for flood management..
Dr. Muhammad Zia ur Rahman Hashmi
Head of Water Resources & Glaciology, Islamabad,
Pakistan
SLAMDAM has transformed our community’s resilience to floods. With the technology and training, we now feel empowered to protect our homes and livelihoods.
Naveed Alam
Community Leader Passu Community
The SLAMDAM project has successfully demonstrated how innovative flood barriers can protect vulnerable areas in Gilgit-Baltistan, offering a sustainable solution for flood management..
Dr. Muhammad Zia ur Rahman Hashmi
Head of Water Resources & Glaciology, Islamabad,
Pakistan
