Information systems and solutions for flood event management in Slovenia: an analysis of the current state

Abstract

Flood management in Slovenia is coordinated by multiple institutions across national, regional and local levels, each developing its own information solutions for distinct phases of the flood cycle. The August 2023 floods revealed that despite individually effective components, comprehensive information-based decision support is lacking. Stakeholders do not share a common operational picture. Data sources are fragmented across heterogeneous formats and interfaces. Information exchange between response levels is hindered at critical moments. This fragmentation reduces response effectiveness and prevents systematic learning from past events. We address this gap through a systematic review of existing information solutions and data sources for flood management in Slovenia from 1990 to 2025. We identify the key institutions, decision-support systems across the four flood-cycle phases, and five main stakeholder groups with their information needs. We find that operational coordination between stakeholders runs largely through telephone and radio channels, while on the application level no system brings together the flow of data and field conditions into a common operational picture accessible to all stakeholders. This situation limits integration on four levels: between institutions (horizontal), between response levels (vertical), between phases of the cycle (temporal), and between data sources. From the review, we identify gaps in current information support and point to directions for future development that would extend beyond the scope of individual institutions.