How OpenFlows FLOOD Revolutionizes Flood Risk Management in Portugal

• 6 February 2026
• Construction Focus
• 1450 Views

The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) has successfully implemented a nationwide flood risk management strategy powered by Bentley Systems’ OpenFlows FLOOD software.

By leveraging advanced modeling and digital twin technology, the agency has identified 22 critical flood-prone areas, enabling more effective risk mitigation and increased societal resilience.

The core benefit of the Bentley software lies in its ability to transform complex environmental data into high-resolution, actionable inundation maps. Unlike traditional modeling, OpenFlows FLOOD uses spatially-distributed numerical models to simulate the entire hydrological cycle—including rainfall, infiltration, surface runoff, and groundwater flow.

This technology allowed the APA to simulate three distinct return period scenarios (20, 100, and 1,000 years), providing a comprehensive view of potential future risks to human health, economic activities, and critical infrastructure. The resulting flood risk maps have been integrated into seven regional Flood Risk Management Plans covering the Portuguese mainland.

The software also utilized MOHID Land and MOHID Water engines to discretize flood plains with high-resolution finite element meshes, some as detailed as 2×2 meters, incorporating LIDAR data for maximum accuracy.

By connecting 1D sewer networks with 2D surface flows, engineers can identify exact “hotspots” where drainage capacity is insufficient, preventing urban flooding before it occurs.

Lisbon alone, “what-if” scenarios generated by digital twin models are estimated to help avoid 20 floods over the next century, potentially saving more than EUR 100,000,000 in infrastructure damage and lost livelihoods.

Besids, the software’s 3D visualization capabilities also allow authorities to create realistic animations of flood events, which are vital for public communication and stakeholder engagement during emergency planning.

The success of the project in Portugal serves as a global case study for the “Sponge City” concept—using digital tools to design urban areas that can safely absorb and manage water.

“Model-based decision-making for flood risk management increased both effectiveness and reliability,” the agency noted in the study, highlighting how the software allows for prioritized implementation of actions even when resources are scarce.

• OpenFlows
• Bentley Systems
• Flood Risk Management
• MOHID