Community Mapping Supports Comprehensive Urban Flood Modeling for Flood Risk Management in a Data-Scarce Environment

<p>We demonstrate a framework for urban flood modeling with community mapped data, particularly suited for flood risk management in data-scarce environments. The framework comprises three principal stages: data acquisition with survey design and quality assurance, model development and model implementation for flood prediction. We demonstrate that data acquisition based on community mapping can be affordable, comprehensible, quality assured and open source, making it applicable in resource-strained contexts. The framework was demonstrated and validated on a case study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The results obtained show that the community mapped data supports flood modeling on a level of detail that is currently inaccessible in many parts of the world. The results obtained also show that the community mapping approach is appropriate for datasets that do not require extensive training, such as flood extent surveys where it is possible to cross-validate the quality of reports given a suitable number and density of data points. More technically advanced features such as dimensions of urban drainage system elements still require trained mappers to create data of sufficient quality. This type of mapping can, however, now be performed in new contexts thanks to the development of smartphones. Future research is suggested to explore how community mapping can become an institutionalized practice to fill in important gaps in data-scarce environments.</p>

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Community Mapping Supports Comprehensive Urban Flood Modeling for Flood Risk Management in a Data-Scarce Environment

Frontiers in Earth Science ◽

10.3389/feart.2020.00304 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Louise Petersson ◽

Marie-Claire ten Veldhuis ◽

Govert Verhoeven ◽

Zoran Kapelan ◽

Innocent Maholi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Management ◽

Flood Risk ◽

Flood Risk Management ◽

Flood Modeling ◽

Urban Flood ◽

Community Mapping

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Collaborative modelling for active involvement of stakeholders in urban flood risk management

Natural Hazards and Earth System Science ◽

10.5194/nhess-12-2821-2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 2821-2842 ◽

Cited By ~ 49

Author(s):

M. Evers ◽

A. Jonoski ◽

Č. Maksimovič ◽

L. Lange ◽

S. Ochoa Rodriguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Management ◽

Social Learning ◽

Learning Process ◽

Flood Risk ◽

Flood Risk Management ◽

Integrated Analysis ◽

Flood Prediction ◽

Urban Flood ◽

Active Involvement ◽

Collaborative Modelling

Abstract. This paper presents an approach to enhance the role of local stakeholders in dealing with urban floods. The concept is based on the DIANE-CM project (Decentralised Integrated Analysis and Enhancement of Awareness through Collaborative Modelling and Management of Flood Risk) of the 2nd ERANET CRUE funding initiative. The main objective of the project was to develop and test an advanced methodology for enhancing the resilience of local communities to flooding. Through collaborative modelling, a social learning process was initiated that enhances the social capacity of the stakeholders due to the interaction process. The other aim of the project was to better understand how data from hazard and vulnerability analyses and improved maps, as well as from the near real-time flood prediction, can be used to initiate a public dialogue (i.e. collaborative mapping and planning activities) in order to carry out more informed and shared decision-making processes and to enhance flood risk awareness. The concept of collaborative modelling was applied in two case studies: (1) the Cranbrook catchment in the UK, with focus on pluvial flooding; and (2) the Alster catchment in Germany, with focus on fluvial flooding. As a result of the interactive and social learning process, supported by sociotechnical instruments, an understanding of flood risk was developed amongst the stakeholders and alternatives for flood risk management for the respective case study area were jointly developed and ranked as a basis for further planning and management.

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Adaptation tipping points and opportunities for urban flood risk management

Journal of Water and Climate Change ◽

10.2166/wcc.2015.093 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 695-710 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Nadia Koukoui ◽

Berry Gersonius ◽

Paul P. Schot ◽

Sebastiaan van Herk

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Risk Management ◽

Flood Risk ◽

Policy Development ◽

Management Practices ◽

Heat Waves ◽

Drainage System ◽

Flood Risk Management ◽

Tipping Points ◽

Urban Flood

The effects of climate change are expected to increase the frequency and magnitude of floods, droughts and heat waves. An emerging method termed adaptation tipping point – opportunity (ATP-O) assesses a system's climate-incurred tipping points and uses opportunities arising from urban developments to introduce adaptation strategies while reducing investment costs. The objective of this research was to apply the ATP-O method to the city of Dordrecht in the Netherlands. The results show that the alternative adaptation strategy proposed (an overland drainage system) would be effective in coping with the effects of climate change where the current management strategy (disconnection of impervious surfaces from sewer systems) fails to do so. The ATP-O also proved helpful in identifying opportunities to adapt at lower costs. This research stimulated discussions between stakeholders on performance objectives, policy development, investment strategies, and flood risk management practices. The sensitivity analysis performed to support such discussion revealed that small variations in acceptability thresholds, associated with policy objectives, can have significant impact on ATP occurrence and timing.

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