Advances of Flood Risk Assessment and Management

Dear Colleagues,

Flooding represents one of the most devastating and recurring natural disasters globally, with increasing frequency and severity attributed to climate change and urbanization. Effective flood risk assessment and management are essential components of disaster management and sustainable development. This Special Issue explores diverse aspects of flood risk assessment and management, enhancing our understanding of flood dynamics and informing policy and practice for more resilient and sustainable communities.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to share their latest research findings, methodologies, and practical solutions in flood risk assessment and management.

We invite contributions to this Special Issue that cover a wide range of themes related to the advancements in flood risk assessment and management. Suggested themes and article types for submissions include the following:

1. Innovative flood risk assessment methods: discussing novel approaches, data sources, and technologies for assessing flood risk, including remote sensing, modeling, and data analytics;
2. Flood hazard mapping and vulnerability assessment: focusing on the development of accurate flood hazard maps and vulnerability assessments, incorporating socio-economic and environmental factors;
3. Flood risk management strategies: highlighting effective flood risk management strategies, including structural and non-structural measures, community-based approaches, and policy recommendations;
4. Climate change adaptation and resilience building: adapting to changing climate patterns and building resilience to floods, considering future scenarios and long-term planning;
5. Review and synthesis papers: comprehensive reviews and synthesis articles that provide an overview of the current state of flood risk assessment and management, highlighting key challenges and future directions.

By addressing these themes, this Special Issue aims to foster collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, ultimately contributing to more effective flood risk assessment and management for resilient and sustainable communities.

Dr. Alessandro Pezzoli
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Climate is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• climate change
• flood risk assessment
• flood management strategies
• rural vulnerability
• hydrological conditions
• risk treatment efficiency
• flood risk management
• public participation in disaster risk reduction
• climate scenarios

Title: A review of flood hazard mapping practices across Canada
Authors: Slobodan P. Simonovic and James Braden
Affiliation: Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
Abstract: Flooding is currently the most common and costliest natural hazard across Canada, threatening human life and causing infrastructure damage, social disruption and internal migration. Flood hazard maps serve as critical decision-making tools in flood mitigation, land use planning, emergency management and general public awareness. They are engineering maps that effectively visualize the outcomes of hydrologic and hydraulic investigations. A succession of significant flood incidents served as the impetus for the federal government to launch the Federal Damage Reduction Program (FDRP) in 1976. Key outputs of the FDRP included engineering maps and public information maps. These engineering maps formed the foundation for zoning regulations, crucial for guiding development in flood-prone regions. Following the conclusion of the FDRP's active mapping phase in 1997, provinces, territories, and other governmental agencies have taken up flood mapping for new regions or revising existing maps, utilizing their own resources. This scenario has led to the adoption of various criteria and methodologies for the development of flood hazard maps. In 2018, the Canadian government introduced a framework aimed at fostering a unified national strategy for flood hazard mapping. The primary goal of this paper is to furnish a contemporary analysis and evaluation of the prevailing methodologies employed in flood hazard mapping throughout Canada. A comprehensive examination of current flood hazard mapping practices is being undertaken for each Province and territory, drawing upon established guidelines and case studies. Through this analysis, similarities among the existing approaches are identified, and their respective strengths and weaknesses are assessed.

Title: Hydroclimate Uncertainties in Computing Design Hydrographs for Diversion Structures and Spillways in Dams
Authors: Oscar E. Coronado-Hernández; Alfonso Arrieta-Pastrana; Vicente S. Fuertes-Miquel
Affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Medio Ambiente, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Abstract: Spillways play a pivotal role in dam engineering endeavors, typically designed with the Probable Maximum Flood or return periods varying from 1,000 to 10,000 years by local regulations. Ensuring a suitable estimation of hydrological parameters is essential for the safety of dams. Moreover, diversion structures such as tunnels, conduits, temporary diversions, multiple-stage diversions, or cofferdams must be accurately sized with appropriate return periods. This study proposes an analysis of hydroclimate uncertainty to refine the estimation of design hydrographs for diversion structures and spillways in dam engineering projects. Using the El Quimbo hydropower project as a case study, different hydroclimate methods were evaluated. Correctly determining rating curves based on hydraulic methods is crucial for computing extreme flow rates, especially for high water levels, where measurements of discharge-stage have not been performed, resulting in a disparity of 2100 m3/s compared with mathematical models. Rainfall-runoff and hydrometric models were evaluated, finding essential differences in the peak values and hydrograph shapes. Furthermore, discrepancies were observed in applying methods recommended by the World Meteorological Organization and Hershfield, considering extreme frequency factors ranging between 15.5 and 16.3, resulting in a difference of 4966 m3/s when computing the Probable Maximum Flood.

Title: Integrated Management of Flood Risk: Review of National Experiences and Needed Reforms
Authors: Neil S. Grigg, Professor
Affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University
Abstract: Flood disasters and losses are increasing due to climate-driven events such as atmospheric rivers, oceanic warming, and shifting jet streams, as well as due to human factors such as migration and land use changes. Past assumptions of climatic stationarity are obsolete and risk managers must use new methods to confront emerging threats. Flood risk management programs must integrate programmatic responses that range from climate studies and weather forecasting to management measures on the ground. The US has evolved experience-based methods with complex procedures to confront technical and risk challenges, and these will be compared to policies and methods that are evolving in global other national agencies. Roles of participants in flood risk management will be reviewed, including governance authorities, public agencies, insurance companies, and private sector firms. Reviews will be included of flood hazard analysis, hydrologic predictions, floodplain analysis, damage assessment and flood economics social, environmental, and health impacts, and legal frameworks that affect flood risk.