ABSTRACT. The assessment of institutional vulnerability to hydrological risks: case studies in Sieu watershed. The aim of institutional vulnerability analysis is to determine government`s ability (via local institutions) to support community for any consequences due to the impact of natural hazards, to anticipate danger and to assess the training capacity to successfully face crisis. The need for such a study comes from the fact that economic issues have replaced the topical preparation of disaster policy agenda. Vulnerability assessment is based clearly on the political level and is addressed to policy makers in different contexts. Research to quantify institutional vulnerability has been conducted during 15-20 May 2008 (local pre-election context), by investigating the realities of ten communes from Şieu watershed using structured interviews and unstructured interview applied to the local authorities (mayors or deputy mayors, secretaries of the local commission of emergency). Quantifying a range of psychometric sets (perceived capacity Index, awareness and perceived danger) has resulted a typology of institutional reactions to natural hazards management process.
Key words: institutional vulnerability, psychometric model, typology of reactions.