Flood inundation mapping sensitivity to riverine spatial resolution and modelling approach

An innovative approach in the investigation of complex landscapes for hydraulic modelling applications is the use of terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) that can lead to a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM). Another notable factor in flood modelling is the selection of the hydrodynamic model (1D, 2D and 1D/2D), especially in complex riverine topographies, that can influence the accuracy of flood inundation area and mapping. This paper uses different types of hydraulic–hydrodynamic modelling approaches and several types of river and riparian area spatial resolution for the implementation of a sensitivity analysis for floodplain mapping and flood inundation modelling process at ungauged watersheds. Four data sets have been used for the construction of the river and riparian areas: processed and unprocessed TLS data, topographic land survey data and typical digitized contours from 1:5000-scale topographic maps. Modelling approaches combinations consist of: one-dimensional hydraulic models (HEC-RAS, MIKE 11), two-dimensional hydraulic models (MIKE 21, MIKE 21 FM) and combinations of coupled hydraulic models (MIKE 11/MIKE 21) within the MIKE FLOOD platform. Historical flood records and estimated flooded area derived from an observed extreme flash-flood event have been used in the validation process using 2 × 2 contingency tables. Flood inundation maps have been generated for each modelling approach and landscape configuration at the lower part of Xerias River reach at Volos, Greece, and compared for assessing the sensitivity of input data and model structure uncertainty. Results provided from contingency table analysis indicate the sensitivity of floodplain modelling on the DEM spatial resolution and the hydraulic modelling approach.     

Geomorphological zoning for flood inundation using satellite data

The authors investigated geomorphological features on the central plain of Thailand utilizing satellite remote sensing data and made geomorphological land classification map showing flood-stricken area. Land classification maps showing flood-striken area tell us former flood inundation area, such as inundation depth, inundation width, flood flow course and flood direction, as well as estimating of the features of flooding. Thus map is useful for planning of flood control works.We classified land form units in the central plain of Thailand as following; delta, tidal flat, lagoon, mud spit, back marsh, natural levee, fan and former river course and so on. After that, the principal component analysis is applied to Landsat TM data and gives good results for photo interpretation of land form units and we transfer geomorphological land classification map to make zoning map of flood risk for the purpose of evaluating the flood damages.     

An Assessment of Structural Measures for Flood-prone Lowlands with High Population Density along the Keelung River in Taiwan

Midstream of the Keelung River Basin in Northern Taiwan has become highly urbanized and densely populated area. Flood inundation along riversides frequently occurred during typhoons or rainstorms. Three protection measures, including constructions of high-level protection levees, a diversion channel, and a detention reservoir, were proposed for flood mitigation. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the flood mitigation performance of the three proposed structural measures by using combined hydrologic analyses and hydraulic routings. A semi-distributed parallel-type linear reservoirs rainfall-runoff model was used for estimating the surface runoff. Furthermore, a 1-D dynamic channel routing model was coupled with a two-dimensional inundation model to simulate the hydraulic characteristics of river flooding and overland flow. Simulation results of flood stages, runoff peak discharges, and inundation extent under design rainfall scenarios were chosen as the criteria for evaluation. The results showed a diversion channel is superior to the other two measures for flood mitigation of the study area. After the process of environmental impact assessment, a revised diversion channel approach has been approved for construction as the major structural measure.     

Large-scale rainfall–runoff–inundation modeling for upper Citarum River watershed,Indonesia

The Citarum River is one of the strategic rivers in West Java, Indonesia. Its total watershed area is approximately 1800 km². Almost every year, the overflow from the Citarum River causes the inundation of most of the upper Citarum River watershed. To prevent and mitigate flood damage, it is necessary to understand the flooding characteristics. The region, however, suffers from a lack of observational data. Therefore, to analyze the inundation caused by flooding in the upper Citarum River watershed, a rainfall–runoff–inundation (RRI) model was employed. It used the following multiple satellite-derived datasets as input data as well as for model verification: Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation, Hydrological data and maps based on Shuttle elevation Derivatives at multiple scales, Global Mosaics of the standard MODIS land cover type data product, and Landsat 7 satellite images. Parameter calibration was performed using a Monte Carlo simulation. The simulation was performed for February 2010. The results of this study show that the RRI model identifies inundation areas in large-scale river watersheds more effectively when using multiple satellite-derived datasets compared with the observed inundation map obtained from JICA in 2010 and Landsat 7 images. The model results can be improved if high-quality observed rainfall data, topographic data, and river cross-sectional data are available.     

Flood monitoring, mapping and assessing capabilities using RADARSAT remote sensing, GIS and ground data for Bangladesh

Remote sensing is the most practical method available to managers of flood-prone areas for quantifying and mapping flood impacts. This study explored large inundation areas in the Maghna River Basin, around the northeastern Bangladesh, as determined from passive sensor LANDSAT data and the cloud-penetrating capabilities of the active sensors of the remote imaging microwave RADARSAT. This study also used passive sensor LANDSAT wet and dry images for the year 2000. Spatial resolution was 30 m by 30 m for comparisons of the inundation area with RADARSAT images. RADARSAT images with spatial resolution of 50 m by 50 m were used for frequency analysis of floods from 2000 to 2004. Time series images for 2004 were also used. RADARSAT remote sensing data, GIS data, and ground data were used for the purpose of flood monitoring, mapping and assessing. A supervised classification technique was used for this processing. They were processed for creating a maximum water extent map and for estimating inundation areas. The results of this study indicated that the maximum extent of the inundation area as estimated using RADARSAT satellite imaging was about 29, 900.72 km² in 2004, which corresponded well with the heavy rainfall around northeast region, as seen at the Bhairab Bazar station and with the highest water level of the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna (GBM) Rivers. A composite of 5 years of RADARSAT inundation maps from 2000 to 2004, GIS data, and damage data, was used to create unique flood hazard maps. Using the damage data for 2004 and the GIS data, a set of damage maps was also created. These maps are expected to be useful for future planning and flood disaster management. Thus, it has been demonstrated that RADARSAT imaging data acquired over the Bangladesh have the ability to precisely assess and clarify inundation areas allowing for successful flood monitoring, mapping and disaster management.     

Multi-scenario flash flood hazard assessment based on rainfall–runoff modeling and flood inundation modeling: a case study

Flash flooding is one of the most devastating natural disasters in China. A quantitative flash flood hazard assessment is important for saving human lives and reducing economic losses. In this study, integrated rainfall–runoff modeling (HEC-HMS) and hydraulic modeling (FLO-2D) schemes were used to assess flash flood inundation areas and depths under 5-year, 10-year, 25-year, 50-year, 100-year, 200-year, 500-year and 1000-year rainfall scenarios in a mountainous basin (Hadahe River Basin, HRB) in northern China. The overall flash flood hazard in HRB is high. Under the eight rainfall scenarios, the total flooded area ranged from 6 to 8.73 km²; the flash flood inundation areas with depths of 1–2 m, 2–3 m, and over 3 m was 1.53–2.69 km², 0.63–1.44 km² and 0.33–1.11 km², respectively; and these areas accounted for 25.5–30.8%, 10.5–16.5% and 5.5–12.7% of the whole flooded area. The total flooded area increases rapidly with the return period increasing from 5 to 200 years, and the increase gradient slows when the return period is greater than 200 years. In the downstream area of HRB, the flash flood area with inundation depths greater than 1 m accounted for 54–71% of the flooded area under the eight scenarios. In comparison to other areas in the HRB, the downstream area is at the highest risk given its extensive inundation and substantial property exposure. The quantitative hazard assessment framework presented in this study can be applied in other mountainous basins for flash flood defense and disaster management purposes.

     

Probability-weighted hazard maps for comparing different flood risk management strategies: a case study

The study proposes an original methodology for producing probability-weighted hazard maps based on an ensemble of numerical simulations. These maps enable one to compare different strategies for flood risk management. The methodology was applied over a 270-km² flood-prone area close to the left levee system of a 28-km reach of the river Reno (Northern Central Italy). This reach is characterised by the presence of a weir that allows controlled flooding of a large flood-prone area during major events. The proposed probability-weighted hazard maps can be used to evaluate how a structural measure such as the mentioned weir alters the spatial variability of flood hazard in the study area. This article shows an application by constructing two different flood hazard maps: a first one which neglects the presence of the weir using a regular levee system instead, and a second one that reflects the actual geometry with the weir. Flood hazard maps were generated by combining the results of several inundation scenarios, simulated by coupling 1D- and 2D-hydrodynamic models.     

Assessment of flood inundation mapping of Surat city by coupled 1D/2D hydrodynamic modeling: a case application of the new HEC-RAS 5

Surat city of India, situated 100 km downstream of Ukai Dam and 19.4 km upstream from the mouth of River Tapi, has experienced the largest flood in 2006. The peak discharge of about 25,770 m³ s^?1 released from the Ukai Dam was responsible for a disaster. To assess the flood and find inundation in low-lying areas, simulation work is carried out under the 1D/2D couple hydrodynamic modeling. Two hundred ninety-nine cross sections, two hydraulic structures and five major bridges across the river are considered for 1D modeling, whereas a topographic map at 0.5 m contour interval was used to produce a 5 m grid, and SRTM (30 and 90 m) grid has been considered for Surat and the Lower Tapi Basin. The tidal level at the river mouth and the release from the Ukai Dam during 2006 flood are considered as the downstream and upstream boundaries, respectively. The model is simulated under the unsteady flow condition and validated for the year 2006. The simulated result shows that 9th August was the worst day in terms of flooding for Surat city and a maximum 75–77% area was under inundation. Out of seven zones, the west zone had the deepest flood and inundated under 4–5 m. Furthermore, inundation is simulated under the bank protection work (i.e., levees, retaining wall) constructed after the 2006 flood. The simulated results show that the major zones are safe against the inundation under 14,430 m³ s^?1 water releases from Ukai Dam except for the west zone. The study shows the 2D capability of new HEC-RAS 5 for flood inundation mapping and management studies.     

Flash flood inundation map preparation for wadis in arid regions

Flood inundation maps are dependent on the topographic and geomorphologic features of a wadi (drainage basin) in arid regions, which are most susceptible for potential flash flood occurrences, such as in the southwestern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is not possible to control the potential flood hazards by using only technological instruments that forewarn the occurrences or imminence. Additionally, it would be better to prepare flood risk maps so as to delineate the risky areas to educate the administrators and local settlers. The availability of these maps is the key requirement for any urban development that entails land use allocation, identification of dam, tunnel, highway, bridge sites, and infrastructure locations for sustainable future. This paper suggests the necessary steps in flood inundation map preparation after determining the possible flood discharge. For this purpose, a set of critical cross-sections along the possible flood plain are taken in the field with surveying methods and measurements. The calculation of the average flow velocity in each section is calculated according to the cross-section geometric, hydraulic, and material properties. Synthetic rating curves (SRC) are prepared for each cross section, which are very useful especially in arid and semi-arid regions where there are no perennial surface water flows for natural rating curve measurements. All the SRCs appear in the form of power function which relates the flow depth to discharge in a given cross section. It is then possible to calculate the flood depth in the cross section through its SRC. Depending on the cross-section shape, the flood width can be calculated. The connection of a series of widths on a scaled topographic map delineates the flood inundation area. If digital elevation map (DEM) is available, then the SRCs can be integrated with these maps and the flood inundation delineation can be achieved automatically. Since DEMs are not available, the topographic maps are used for this purpose in order to delineate flood inundation areas within wadis Hali and Yiba from the southwestern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.     

Multi-criteria decision based geospatial mapping of flood susceptibility and temporal hydro-geomorphic changes in the Subarnarekha basin,India

The Subarnarekha River in east India experiences frequent high magnitude flooding in monsoon season.In this study, we present an in-depth analysis of flood hydrology and GIS-based flood susceptibility mapping of the entire catchment. About 40 years of annual peak discharge data, historical cross-sections of different gauging sites, and 12 flood conditioning factors were considered. Our flood susceptibility mapping followed an expert knowledge-based multi-parametric analytical hierarchy process(AHP) and optimized AHP-VIP methods. Peak hydrology data indicated more than 5 times higher discharge contrasted with the mean streamflow of the peak monsoon month in all hydro-monitoring stations that correspond to possible overbank flooding in the shallow semi-alluvial reaches of the Subarnarekha River. Widthdepth ratio revealed continuous changes on the channel cross-sections at decadal scale in all gauging sites. Predicted flood susceptibility map through optimized AHP-VIP method showed a great amount of areas(38%) have a high probability of flooding and demands earnest attention of administrative bodies.The AHP-VIP based flood susceptibility map was theoritically validated through AUC approach and it showed fairly high accuracy(AUC = 0.93). Our study offers an exceptionally cost and time effective solution to the flooding issues in the Subarnarekha basin.     

Multiple scenario analyses of Huangpu River flooding using a 1D/2D coupled flood inundation model

Huangpu River floodplain is historically vulnerable to flooding due to its location in the path of tropical cyclones, low elevation, relatively flat topography, rapid changes in sea level and fast rate of land subsidence due to urbanization. This paper presents a scenario-based study that investigates the fluvial flood potentials in the Huangpu River floodplain. Flood scenarios with return periods of 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 years were designed to cover the probable situations. Further, a flood inundation model (FloodMap) that tightly couples a river flow model with a 1D solution of the full form of the St. Venant equations and a 2D floodplain flow model was used to predict the river flow and inundation extents. Flood characteristics obtained from the simulations were used in the exposure analysis to determine the spatial distribution of susceptible land uses under different scenarios. Results suggest that overtopping inundation mainly occurs within 1–2 km of the banks of the Huangpu River, with larger inundation extent predicted in the upper and middle reaches of the channel, a result of varying protection levels from relatively rural upstream to high urbanized floodplain in the vicinity of the middle reaches.     

Waterlogging and flood hazards vulnerability and risk assessment in Indo Gangetic plain

The recurrent flooding during monsoon and subsequent waterlogging in the northern Bihar plains and the magnitude of losses due to these hazards indicate the continuing vulnerability of the region to flood and waterlogging. Management of floods and waterlogging hazards in highly flood-prone regions of India, including Bihar state has been largely response oriented with little or no attention to mitigation and preparedness. This paper presents a method for spatial, Geographic Information Systems-based assessment of flood and waterlogging vulnerability and risk in northern Bihar plains. Multitemporal satellite data was used to evaluate the area statistics and dynamics of waterlogging over the period from 1975 to 2008. The flood proneness is evaluated at district level with reference to flood inundation during a period from 1998 to 2008. Census data were used to examine the socio-economic characteristics of the region through computation of population density, cultivators, agricultural labourers, sex ratio, children in age group 0–6 years and literates. The geohazard map derived by combining area prone to waterlogging and flood inundation was multiplied with socio-economic vulnerability map to derive the flood-waterlogging risk map of the region. The result shows that flood and water-logging pose highest risk to the central districts in the northern Bihar plains with 50.95% of the total area under high and very high risk.     

动态实时洪水风险分析及管理系统

当前洪水风险分析按照典型设计标准洪水进行计算的模式难以满足实际防洪管理需要,为了提高洪水风险分析的实时性以及适应洪水演进的动态性,设计了动态实时洪水风险分析框架。在本框架中,先采用一维和二维动态耦合水动力学数值方法耦合溃堤模型,然后在樵桑联围防洪保护区建立洪水演进模拟模型,通过灵活处理模型计算边界条件以及动态设置溃堤功能,计算不同设计标准洪水发生时,堤防出现单一溃口或者组合溃口后保护区内洪水演进过程。按照上述框架开发了樵桑联围动态实时洪水风险图编制与管理应用系统,并利用历史洪水资料开展模型验证,验证结果表明,2008-06洪水马口站、三水站、大熬站、甘竹（一）站的实测最高水位和模型计算最高水位的绝对误差分别为-0.10、0.10、0.09、0.04 m,均满足洪水模拟精度要求。利用模型计算了西江发生200年一遇的洪水情况下,江根堤防出现溃口后的洪水流量及溃口内外洪水水位变化过程,模拟溃口宽度168 m,最大溃口洪水流量达到5 190 m³,分析了堤防溃决后3、6和24 h洪水漫延导致村落淹没情况,结果表明其满足合理性分析。     

Tidal inundation mapping under enhanced land subsidence in Semarang,Central Java Indonesia

Tidal inundation by high tide under enhanced land subsidence is a damaging phenomenon and a major threat to the Semarang urban area in Indonesia. It impacts on economic activities, as well as the cost of an emergency program and causes interruption of pubic services, danger of infectious diseases and injury to human lives. This study examines a spatial analysis tool on the GIS-raster system for the tidal inundation mapping based on the subsidence-benchmark data and modified detail digital elevation model. Neighborhood operation and iteration model as a spatial analysis tool have been applied in order to calculate the encroachment of the tidal inundation on the coastal area. The resulting map shows that the tidal flood spreads to the lowland area and causes the inundation of coastal settlement, infrastructure, as well as productive agricultural land, i.e., the fish-pond area. The monitoring of the vulnerable area due to the tidal inundation under the scenario of extended land subsidence plays an important role in long-term coastal zone management in Semarang.     

Characterizing flood hazard risk in data-scarce areas,using a remote sensing and GIS-based flood hazard index

The frequency in occurrence and severity of floods has increased globally. However, many regions around the globe, especially in developing countries, lack the necessary field monitoring data to characterize flood hazard risk. This paper puts forward methodology for developing flood hazard maps that define flood hazard risk, using a remote sensing and GIS-based flood hazard index (FHI), for the Nyamwamba watershed in western Uganda. The FHI was compiled using analytical hierarchy process and considered slope, flow accumulation, drainage network density, distance from drainage channel, geology, land use/cover and rainfall intensity as the flood causative factors. These factors were derived from Landsat, SRTM and PERSIANN remote sensing data products, except for geology that requires field data. The resultant composite FHI yielded a flood hazard map pointing out that over 11 and 18% of the study area was very highly and highly susceptible to flooding, respectively, while the remaining area ranged from medium to very low risk. The resulting flood hazard map was further verified using inundation area of a historical flood event in the study area. The proposed methodology was effective in producing a flood hazard map at the watershed local scale, in a data-scarce region, useful in devising flood mitigation measures.     

Preliminary flood risk assessment: the case of Athens

Flood mapping, especially in urban areas, is a demanding task requiring substantial (and usually unavailable) data. However, with the recent introduction of the EU Floods Directive (2007/60/EC), the need for reliable, but cost effective, risk mapping at the regional scale is rising in the policy agenda. Methods are therefore required to allow for efficiently undertaking what the Directive terms “preliminary flood risk assessment,” in other words a screening of areas that could potentially be at risk of flooding and that consequently merit more detailed attention and analysis. Such methods cannot rely on modeling, as this would require more data and effort that is reasonable for this high-level, screening phase. This is especially true in urban areas, where modeling requires knowledge of the detailed urban terrain, the drainage networks, and their interactions. A GIS-based multicriteria flood risk assessment methodology was therefore developed and applied for the mapping of flood risk in urban areas. This approach quantifies the spatial distribution of flood risk and is able to deal with uncertainties in criteria values and to examine their influence on the overall flood risk assessment. It can further assess the spatially variable reliability of the resulting maps on the basis of the choice of method used to develop the maps. The approach is applied to the Greater Athens area and validated for its central and most urban part. A GIS database of economic, social, and environmental criteria contributing to flood risk was created. Three different multicriteria decision rules (Analytical Hierarchy Process, Weighted Linear Combination and Ordered Weighting Averaging) were applied, to produce the overall flood risk map of the area. To implement this methodology, the IDRISI Andes GIS software was customized and used. It is concluded that the results of the analysis are a reasonable representation of actual flood risk, on the basis of their comparison with historical flood events.     

Interaction between land-use change,flooding and human health in Metro Vancouver,Canada

Many regions of the world are experiencing an increase in frequency and intensity of floods. There has been increasing understanding among emergency preparedness and natural disaster planners that rapid urbanization is enhancing the risk from river flooding in urban areas. Many regions of Canada have been exposed to particularly severe floods over the course of the last few years, much of this due to land-use change. This study aims at understanding the risk of flooding for the City of Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which is located in the Fraser River Delta. The paper presents a fast, efficient and reliable method that can be used to produce vegetation maps from advanced very high resolution radiometer images and SPOT vegetation maps. A 10-day maximum normalized difference vegetation index maps were produced to assess the dynamics of the urbanization process in Vancouver. Remotely sensed data show a significant decrease in vegetation cover in the Metro Vancouver City between 1984 and 2012. The proposed method can be used as an effective tool for raising early land-use change awareness and assist with flood risk management. Flood risk management has a substantial impact on human health and well-being in urban areas, and this flood risk information will be used to assess the impact of flooding and explore the complex relationship between land-use change, urbanization, flooding and impact on urban dwellers.     

Basinwide disaster loss assessments under extreme climate scenarios: a case study of the Kaoping River basin

This study examined the Kaoping River basin, Taiwan, an area severely destroyed by Typhoon Morakot in 2009. Dynamically downscaled data were applied to simulate extreme typhoon precipitation events for facilitating future preparation efforts (2075–2099) under climate change conditions. Models were used to simulate possible impacts in upstream and downstream areas for basinwide disaster loss assessment purposes. The Transient Rainfall Infiltration and Grid-Based Regional Slope-Stability and FLO-2D models were applied to simulate slope-land disaster impacts and sediment volume in the upstream area. The sediment delivery ratio was used to calculate the valid sediment amount delivered downstream and the riverbed uplift altitude. SOBEK was used to build a flood impact model for the Kaoping River basin, and the model was used to simulate potential flooding caused by future extreme typhoon events. The Taiwan Typhoon Loss Assessment System established by the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction was used to evaluate the potential loss associated with extreme events. The property loss calculation included 32 land-use categories, including agriculture, forestry, fishery, and animal husbandry losses; industrial and commercial service losses; public building losses; and traffic and hydraulic facility losses. One of the Kaoping River basin townships, Daliao District, had the highest flood depth increase ratio (12.6%), and the losses were 1.5 times the original situation. This was much worse than were the losses suffered during Typhoon Morakot. These results also show that sediment delivered from the upstream areas had a significant influence on the downstream areas. This is a critical issue for future flood mitigation under climate change conditions.     

Flood forecasting and analysis within the Ulus Basin, Turkey, using geographic information systems

Floods have been the most severe natural disasters in the West Black Sea Region of Turkey for many years; therefore Ulus Basin is selected as a study area for a thorough hydrologic flood analysis. The lack of embankments around the Ulus River and careless changes to the riverbed made by villagers, resulted in major flood events in the basin, causing significant damage in the area. In this study, the hydrodynamic characteristics of the basin and the riverbed are determined by calibrating the hydraulic module of the MIKE 11 modeling system with the observed 1991 flood. Then, for the 25-, 50- and 100-year floods the highest water levels in the river are forecasted by integration of the MIKE 11 hydrologic and hydraulic modules. Afterwards, inundation maps are obtained by using together the hydraulic and GIS modules of the MIKE 11 system.     

Flood Management in India

In this paper, flood problems in India, regional variabilityof the problem, present status of the ongoing management measures, their effectiveness and futureneeds in flood management are covered. Flood problems in India are presented by four zonesof flooding, viz. (a) Brahmaputra River Basin, (b) Ganga River Basin, (c) North-WestRivers Basin, and (d) Central India and Deccan Rivers Basin. Some special problems,related to floods like dam break flow, and water logging in Tal areas, are also mentioned.Progress of various flood management measures, both structural and non-structural, arediscussed. In addition, future needs to achieve efficient and successful flood managementmeasures in India are also pointed out.