Thank you to everyone who kept Boden afloat during the weeks of crisis

The late summer weather of 2026, with its unusually heavy rainfall, will probably go down in history. The same is true of the widespread consequences, with high water flows affecting the whole of eastern Norrbotten. Due to the regulated lakes in the municipality, Boden was particularly hard hit. The effects were felt throughout the municipality, but were most visible in central Boden, where the interconnected lakes and waterways quite literally overflowed their banks.

New challenges came thick and fast

Everyday life in Boden has, of course, been affected in many ways – at work, at school and during leisure time. Many people have had difficulty getting around on foot, by bicycle or by car. We have had to find alternative routes and spend time sitting in traffic queues (!). Some residents were completely cut off and isolated in their homes when roads were submerged, and our thoughts are especially with those whose homes were flooded. The high water levels also affected local businesses, which faced challenges both large and small.

Water levels are falling – and it is time to thank our heroes

We can now see that the water flows are finally decreasing and that water levels are slowly but surely returning to more normal levels. At this point, I would like to shine a spotlight on everyone who, in different ways, has helped make life easier during these challenging weeks.

A huge, warm and heartfelt thank you…

… to all the organisations and professionals, both within and outside Boden Municipality, who worked tirelessly and with great expertise to manage the situation:

• Boden Fire and Rescue Service, which took active and proactive measures from the very beginning to protect essential public services and infrastructure and prevent injuries.
• The Community Services Administration, which took full operational responsibility and efficiently managed the roads, footpaths and cycle paths that needed to be reinforced, diverted or simply closed. The administration also carried out work involving stormwater systems, sewers and water pipes, installed flood barriers and distributed sandbags to protect essential public services and help residents manage their everyday lives.
• Bodens Energi, which used its expertise to prioritise dam safety over electricity production and continuously adjusted water regulation based on current flows and the capacity of the system.
• Luleå Municipality’s Fire and Rescue Service, which had personnel on site in Boden to provide support.
• The Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (MCF), which provided expert knowledge and equipment.
• The crisis management team and other employees within Boden Municipality and the municipal companies, who supported municipal services, managers, elected representatives and residents through effective crisis management and communication.
• Employees in schools and care services, who adapted to the situation and continued to teach and care for our children, while providing care and support to our older residents.

And last, but certainly not least:

A thousand thanks to all the patient and understanding people of Boden…

… for your perseverance and good spirits throughout this period. You stepped up, helped yourselves and one another, and truly demonstrated the care, sense of community and responsibility that form the foundation of a good life – even when the public services that a municipality should and wants to provide could not be delivered as usual.

You are simply the best!