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ABSTRACT Natural flood management (NFM), a subset of nature‐based solutions (NBS) in catchment management, attempts to utilize and mimic natural processes in the landscape to reduce flood hazards, and it has been widely applied across Europe and other regions. Despite the wide use of NFM techniques, there is a lack of quantitative evidence for the effectiveness of NFM interventions in flood reduction. This paper examined 454 NFM relevant articles over the past 30 years, and the data they contain. Word frequency and cluster analyses showed changing trends and associations among nature‐based flood mitigation research topics, including shifts from localized flood mitigation to catchment‐wide flood management strategies, and from wood‐related studies to a broader assessment of ecosystem services. Content analysis was conducted on literature directly related to NFM and NBS, revealing that research in large‐scale catchments continues to be dominated by modeling approaches. While past reviews have suggested that increased catchment scale and rainfall intensity may diminish the effectiveness of NFM, we did not find strong empirical evidence (field monitoring and modeling) for this in our systematic review, although research at large catchment scale is still lacking. By assessing the confidence in NFM studies, the paper concludes that integrated understanding of a network of combined NFM interventions at a large catchment scale is necessary for future nature‐based flood mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequent floods in proximity to river floodplains usually threaten settlements, leading to the loss of lives and property. The use of flood modeling is employed for understanding and effectively managing the inherent risks. In this work, the main factor contributing to the reduction of floodplain coverage is the river training works by modification of channel which is least explored for flood mitigation. The study utilized HEC-RAS 6.1.0, for hydrodynamic modelling to simulate the effects of channel modification for flood mitigation along the Ramganga river near Gauriya village (GV) and a cluster of other villages in district Hardoi (U.P.), India. The HEC-RAS model underwent calibration and validation at two distinct flow events and Landsat Imageries. The accuracy assessment involves key factors such as: accurately simulated flooded areas in satellite imagery (A), simulated flood areas absent in satellite imagery (B), and areas not simulated but present in satellite imagery (C). A Manning's coefficient of 0.03 was identified during this process, demonstrating a strong agreement between the simulated and observed flood extents. This study focused on analyzing the impact of channel modifications on flood mitigation in village areas using possible peak discharges: 1000 cumec, 1700 cumec, and 2500 cumec. The findings revealed that at the discharge of 1700 cumec, there was a notable 23.24% reduction in the flood inundation area. Moreover, at the peak discharge of 2500 cumec, a significant reduction was observed. Additionally, there was a satisfactory decrease in depth and velocity impacting the village areas, contributing to effective flood reduction measures. Thus, river training work by introducing a dredged path adds to the protection of villages on the left bank of the river. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban roads can effectively handle peak flows during extreme storms by serving as surface flood passages, provided the flow remains within safety thresholds for vehicles and pedestrians. However, studies on flow allocation at crossroad intersections are limited. Previous research has overlooked important factors: road transverse slope and turning radius. This study built a "two in, two out" laboratory crossroad intersection to examine flow allocation patterns. Experiments explored the effects of road longitudinal slope, boundary conditions, and the combined influence of turning radius and side slope. The results indicated that at flatter slopes, flow allocation is more influenced by road slope, while at steeper slopes, the inflow Froude number ratio becomes more significant. The combined effect of the turning radius and side slope results in a flow allocation that differs by 44.3% compared to rectangular orthogonal channel intersections. A straightforward formula is proposed to calculate the flow allocation ratio based on experimental results and inflow power ratio. These findings could improve road intersection designs for better flood mitigation, offering a practical tool for planning flood-resilient road networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As population growth, economic development, and climate change increase the risks of inland flooding across the US and worldwide, a range of flood mitigation approaches must be considered and evaluated, including flood forecast and early warning systems (FFEWS). Cost–benefit analysis (CBA) has long been used to scrutinize flood mitigation investments, and although most applications have addressed physical infrastructure projects, a growing body of research has focused on assessing the benefits of information-based approaches such as FFEWS. This review summarizes research to date on the economic benefits of FFEWS, using value-of-information (VOI) analysis as a conceptual and organizing framework. This framework emphasizes the role of FFEWS in improving protective action decisions and flood-related outcomes. I also use the framework to categorize the methods used to assess FFEWS benefits, distinguishing between methods that focus specifically on prevented flood damage and those that take a more holistic VOI-based approach. Through a systematic search and screening of the literature, I identified 66 articles and reports published from 1970 to 2023 in more than 15 countries. Overall, I found that relatively few of the studies (15) applied a VOI-based approach, and most of them estimated VOI in relative rather than absolute (i.e., monetary) terms. In contrast, almost half of the studies used expert assessments or surveys of household or businesses to quantify the effectiveness of warnings for prompting protective actions and for reducing damages. Even so, evidence from these studies regarding the economic value of avoided flood damages is limited and is particularly lacking for the US. These findings highlight the continuing need for empirical research to inform VOI analyses of FFEWS and to isolate the effect of FFEWS on incurred flood damages and on protective action costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities are increasingly dealing with challenges regarding the negative impact of rapid and mismanaged urbanization. Therefore, city planning must cope with the natural environment limitations, seeking a balance between the human activities and the well-functioning of the hydrologic cycle. This work aims to present a conceptual framework able to properly integrate the stormwater dynamics into the open spaces system in a functional way, establishing a Hydrological Interest Area, HIA, to structure urban expansion integrated into and respecting watershed natural processes. The initial step is to define a HIA, primarily consisting of open spaces that can be used for supporting urban drainage functions and to order land use in the urban expansion process. This delimitation offers the background for interpreting the watershed in three functional arches, especially covering the upstream, mid-reach and downstream areas of the basin, guiding the design of a set of flood mitigation interventions focusing on the use of Blue-Green Infrastructure. To illustrate and validate the proposed methodological framework, the design is evaluated by a flood modeling tool, using a hydrological-hydrodynamic cell-model. A case study was driven in the Bambu Watershed, a rapidly developing area in the municipality of Maricá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The proposed intervention includes an urban expansion scenario for a low impact development on flood behavior alongside with four parks: an upstream park with reservoirs, two multifunctional floodable urban parks, and a park dedicated to lagoon restoration. This plan complements riverbed modifications designed to enhance water discharge. The simulation showed significant reduction of water depths with a consequent decrease in exposure of buildings and roads, especially in the most critical region of the watershed. This framework highlights the importance of a multifunctional approach in land use and serves as a robust foundation for controlling urban expansion and proposing projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of nature-based solutions (NBSs) for hazard mitigation is increasing. In this study, we review the use of NBSs for flood mitigation using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis framework for commonly used NBSs. Approaches reviewed include retention and detention systems, bioretention systems, landcover and soil management, river naturalisation and floodplain management, and constructed and natural wetlands. Existing tools for identification and quantification of direct benefits and co-benefits of NBSs are then reviewed. Finally, approaches to the modelling of NBSs are discussed, including the type of model and model parameterisation. After outlining knowledge gaps within the current literature and research, a roadmap for development, modelling, and implementation of NBSs is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Kolong, a significant distributary of the mighty river Brahmaputra in Assam, India, has experienced significant human‐induced alterations aimed basically for flood mitigation. This study investigates the socio‐ecological impacts of the course change of the Kolong River done by the local people of Kahargaon village in Nagaon district of Assam, India. Employing a mixed‐methods approach, the research integrates field observations, stakeholder interviews, community forums, and secondary data analysis to assess the river's dynamics and its effects on local livelihoods and ecosystems. The findings reveal that while flood mitigation efforts have provided immediate relief, they have also led to ecological degradation and disrupted traditional livelihoods, particularly those dependent on the river's natural flow. The left‐out channel, once rich in biodiversity, now suffers from reduced water levels and a diminished riverine ecological niche, compelling communities to adapt through alternative agricultural practices and grazing. This study emphasizes the need for integrated management strategies that balance flood control with ecological preservation and livelihood sustainability. Thus, the study promotes community‐based conservation initiatives, restoring natural flow patterns, and developing adaptive livelihood strategies. The insights gained so far contribute to the broader understanding of human–river interactions and offer valuable lessons for sustainable river management in similar contexts globally.

This paper presents an innovative, original approach to co-design retention ponds and floating photo voltaic solar plants as a water-energy nexus approach to reduce flooding and energy burden for one location. Case-study analysis was conducted in Waimanalo, Hawai’i. A flood model—from a previous study—was used provide a potential location for a retention pond and floating solar photovoltaic panels. This study found the co-design of retention ponds and floating PV solar can not only reduce future stormwater runoff by up to 50% but provide a total of 50% of onsite solar energy at a neighbourhood scale, demonstrating how clean energy and green infrastructure can help advance environmental and social justice. Several takeaways from this study were taken into account and things to consider for a follow-up paper. One of the major challenges was finding a potential suitable location. Overcoming this challenge required using Google Maps and the flood model to pinpoint high flood accumulation and searching for a large green space that is in close vicinity to a developed neighbourhood.

Due to the increasing impacts of climate change on flood management, it is vital to implement effective flood mitigation measures. Economic factors significantly influence the feasibility and speed of these implementations. Evaluations must go beyond just the implementation costs. This paper introduces tools and methods for incorporating environmental economics into flood risk management at various scales, from urban areas to entire river basins. Comprehensive analysis should include social, environmental, direct, and indirect factors. Despite the variability in flood mitigation costs across different economies, the methods discussed are highly adaptable. Data limitations for appraisal tools like Multicriteria Analysis (MCA) and Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) can be addressed through expert judgment, qualitative assessment, or using GDP-proportional data for cost estimation. This approach utilizes databases from experienced countries, making the methods adaptable to different contexts.

This paper presents an innovative, original approach to co-design retention ponds and floating photo voltaic solar plants as a water-energy nexus approach to reduce flooding and energy burden for one location. Case-study analysis was conducted in Waimanalo, Hawai'i. A flood model--from a previous study--was used to provide a potential location for a retention pond and floating solar photovoltaic panels. This study found the co-design of retention ponds and floating PV solar can not only reduce future stormwater runoff by up to 50% but provide a total of 50% of onsite solar energy at a neighbourhood scale, demonstrating how clean energy and green infrastructure can help advance environmental and social justice. Several takeaways from this study were taken into account and things to consider for a follow-up paper. One of the major challenges was finding a potential suitable location. Overcoming this challenge required using Google Maps and the flood model to pinpoint high flood accumulation and searching for a large green space that is in close vicinity to a developed neighbourhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Built environment flood resilience is a critical challenge facing communities worldwide. Amongst various efforts to resilience, the conception towards data utilization becomes popular with enormous technological advancements. Built environment creates varieties of data at larger volumes throughout their life cycle signifying that the importance of these data in the context of flood resilience cannot be ignored. However, despite the power of data, the greatest opportunities that exist for flood resilience enhancement have been mired by numerous and complex unidentified challenges. Thus, identifying these challenges with timely relevant strategies is a significant need. One of the best ways to tackle these challenges is by viewing them through the lens of data life cycle stages. This study, therefore, aimed to identify these challenges in each stage of the data life cycle with strategies to overcome them. Semi‐structured interviews conducted with 12 experts revealed the significant challenges allied with built environment data with potential future strategies. The qualitative content analysis was conducted to analyse the findings. The use of advanced sensing technologies, cloud‐based storage solutions, data governance policies and the development of predictive models are some of the consequential strategies outlined in this study. These findings provide valuable insights and guidance to facilitate built environment data utilization for flood resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is increasing the threat of flooding on small Danish islands. This article presents the results of a qualitative case study of flood risk perceptions and adaptive actions on three small Danish islands. The study explores how an empirical study of the islanders’ sense of place can contribute to a transformation towards better flood resilience. It finds that sense of place is closely connected to living close to nature, but also it highlights that the meaning given to ‘nature’ varies among the islanders. For some, nature is an uncultivated, wild landscape; for others, it is the present, cultural landscape. Another difference concerns whether the islands are described as a place to make a living or as a place to get away from everyday life. For some, farming and grazing are central to how they make a living on the islands; for others, these activities belong to the past. This insight into differences in the islanders’ sense of place contributes to understanding different perspectives regarding what is worth protecting, and what it is possible to protect from flooding, as well as why it is difficult for the islanders to reach agreement on the subject. This understanding has transformative potential, as it can give the islanders themselves, as well as authorities responsible for flood protection, a valuable insight into what drives and hinders actions to manage or reduce flood risk on small islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transportation system stress test is a set of one or more hypothetical scenarios designed to help determine if a transport system can continue to provide an acceptable level of service when subjected to one or more potentially disruptive events. Stress tests, if done well, enable policy makers, regulators, and network operators to assess the ability of transport systems to withstand and recover from potentially disruptive events, and modify the systems if necessary. Although work has been conducted on how to conduct high-level preliminary transportation stress tests, there has not yet been work conducted on how to conduct detailed quantitative simulation-based stress tests on transportation systems. This paper fills this gap by presenting both an approach to conduct simulation-based stress tests and example simulation-based stress tests for a transportation system subject to potentially disruptive hydrometeorological events. Three types of stress tests are conducted for the transportation system in the region of Chur, Switzerland, which is subject to heavy rainfalls that may result in floods and landslides. These include the stress caused by climate change leading to increasing the intensity of extreme rainfall events in the future, stress caused by uncertain future mobility behavior of people leading to excessive travel demand on the network, and stress caused by poor planning of the required resources for restoration interventions leading to having less resources for restoration than planned. It is argued that conducting such stress tests makes it clear to decision makers whether or not a transportation system is sufficiently resilient against various stressors, and if not, gives clear indications as to how it could be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pressing challenges posed by climate change in Cabanatuan City, including extreme flooding events, necessitate a multifaceted approach to mitigation. While traditional flood control infrastructures were implemented, they may carelessly lead to unintended consequences, emphasizing the need for a balanced and sustainable strategy. Drawn inspiration from the solutions of sponge city as the umbrella concept using Ecopuncture and Japan's evolving flood control methods, the integration of green spaces, particularly the integration of wetlands emerged as a promising solution. From these inspirations, the researcher carefully formulated considerations for extreme flood events and adopted relevant criteria in determining the most suitable locations for flood retention and green spaces in the City of Cabanatuan, this paper exhausted solutions and approaches from works of literature addressing issues aligned with climate crisis specifically flood mitigation. With practices and criteria applicable to the locale of the study adopted, the researcher was able to analyze available maps and the most significant flooding over time in the city which delineated the flow of the flood, susceptible areas to flooding considering elevation were determined, and finally the researcher was able to recommend locations for wetland parks that are suitable to demonstrate the intent of flood mitigation thru the integration of green spaces, reconnection between people and the river, and introduction of added parks with a hybrid approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than one billion people worldwide are living in urban informal settlements where flood risks are high. Positive collective efficacy beliefs can facilitate community‐level adaptive action. This sub‐study of the Revitalizing Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE) trial, aimed to identify social and contextual factors influencing residents' collective efficacy appraisals about their settlement's ability to implement community‐level flood prevention, protection and response measures. Forty‐two in‐depth interviews were conducted in 10 settlements in Suva, Fiji using a photovoice methodology. Thematic analysis was used to elicit key themes, which were then interpreted and contextualized collaboratively with the local field team. The most salient influencing factors were formal leadership, shared needs or benefits, collective identity (whether via shared religion, ethnicity or regional/kinship group), past performance experiences and expectations around collective action. While the data revealed some between‐settlement variation on these factors, there was also a large degree of within‐settlement variation concerning perceptions of these factors. Community‐based flood programming should not be undertaken without first assessing the degree to which participants believe that programme objectives reflect shared needs or will yield shared benefits and whether those objectives warrant collective action according to the community's social expectations for participation and contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structure and function are the inherent characteristics of each ecosystem providing various services such as clean air, extreme weather mitigation, and mental and physical well‐being. The objective of this study is to develop a unified model combining Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services, ecological network (EN), and correlation analysis to investigate changes in ecosystem structure, function, and process. In this context, carbon sequestration, soil reduction, and flood risk mitigation were quantified from 2000 to 2020 and predicted for 2040 using the cellular automata and Markov chain (CA‐Markov) model. Finally, correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship over time between the land use (LU) classes and the components of the forest EN that provide and exchange desired ecosystem services (ESs). Thus, the changes in LU in the region in recent years led to significant reduction of ESs in the region as well as changes in the interaction between services. These changes, on the one hand, reduced the area of cores and increased isolated forest patches and, on the other hand, led to the horizontal expansion of cities and agricultural lands. If this trend continues, the decline in services provided by the ecosystem will persist into the future. Consequently, it can be said that structural changes in the ecosystem can lead to changes in the ESs. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1099–1111. © 2023 SETAC Key Points: We present an integrated model to investigate structural, functional, and process changes caused by land use and land cover changes in the regions where natural and pristine ecosystems have close and complex interactions with built‐up ecosystems.We evaluated the structural changes related to land use change and its role in ecosystem functioning through changes in ecosystem services by selecting ecosystem services that reflect land use, land cover, vegetation, and ecological network change and soil conditions.We propose that the role of land use in changing ecosystem services represents another difference between this study and similar studies.We forecast the quantity of ecosystem services for future years as a basis for planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities are increasingly dealing with challenges regarding the negative impact of rapid and mismanaged urbanization. Therefore, city planning must cope with the natural environment limitations, seeking a balance between the human activities and the well-functioning of the hydrologic cycle. This work aims to present a conceptual framework able to properly integrate the stormwater dynamics into the open spaces system in a functional way, establishing a Hydrological Interest Area, HIA, to structure urban expansion integrated into and respecting watershed natural processes. The initial step is to define a HIA, primarily consisting of open spaces that can be used for supporting urban drainage functions and to order land use in the urban expansion process. This delimitation offers the background for interpreting the watershed in three functional arches, especially covering the upstream, mid-reach and downstream areas of the basin, guiding the design of a set of flood mitigation interventions focusing on the use of Blue-Green Infrastructure. To illustrate and validate the proposed methodological framework, the design is evaluated by a flood modeling tool, using a hydrological-hydrodynamic cell-model. A case study was driven in the Bambu Watershed, a rapidly developing area in the municipality of Maricá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The proposed intervention includes an urban expansion scenario for a low impact development on flood behavior alongside with four parks: an upstream park with reservoirs, two multifunctional floodable urban parks, and a park dedicated to lagoon restoration. This plan complements riverbed modifications designed to enhance water discharge. The simulation showed significant reduction of water depths with a consequent decrease in exposure of buildings and roads, especially in the most critical region of the watershed. This framework highlights the importance of a multifunctional approach in land use and serves as a robust foundation for controlling urban expansion and proposing projects.

Flood risk has dramatically increased over the decades and is complicated by climate change. Nevertheless, the residual risk of flooding remains scarcely addressed in practice and theory. This paper is to document the lessons learned from managing residual risk in Taiwan. Through a semi-structured interview process, fourteen stakeholders from the flood management in academia, government, and local communities shared their perspectives on residual risk covering various aspects, including flood risk mapping, social representations, and some management strategies. Land use regulation and community-based disaster prevention were highlighted as preparedness measures and recognized for their effectiveness to mitigate flood residual risk. However, there is still an insufficient consideration of flood maps as public communication tools rather than mere decision-informing documents. Besides, all the interviewed stakeholders agreed that marginal flood risk awareness limits the recognition and discussion of residual risk as a problem of its own. Misconceptions and the lack of communication between stakeholders were identified as the main barriers too. Interviewees pointed out that citizens are unaware of risks mainly either due to their inexperience or over-trust in the safety of flood protection structures. Overall, this work may inform residual flood risk management for Taiwan and elsewhere enduring similar extreme floods.

Flooding in the Tuntang Watershed of Central Java, Indonesia, poses a significant threat to communities and infrastructure. Past mitigation strategy have been ineffective due to fragmented collaboration, limited community involvement, and insufficient policy support. This study explores a new approach that combines the Village Watershed Model (VWM) and the hexahelix collaboration framework to promote coordinated action among government, communities, academia, businesses, NGOs, and media. This research create hydrological and hydraulic modeling, analyzing stakeholder roles, collaboration levels, and flood risks using questionnaires as a method. Results indicated moderate overall collaboration, with government and community leading the efforts. The hexahelix framework proved valuable for identifying strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. Recommendations include strengthening coordination, enhancing community participation, fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships, developing comprehensive policies and funding mechanisms, and continuing research and innovation.

Woodlands can reduce downstream flooding, but it is not well known how the extent and distribution of woodland affects reductions in peak flow. We used the spatially distributed TOPMODEL to simulate peak flow during a 1 in 50 year storm event for a range of broadleaf woodland scenarios across a 2.6 km2 catchment in Northern England. Woodland reduced peak flow by 2.6%–15.3% depending on the extent and spatial distribution of woodland cover. Cross slope and riparian woodland resulted in larger reductions in peak flow, 4.9% and 3.3% for a 10‐percentage point increase in woodland cover respectively, compared to a 2.7% reduction for woodland randomly located across the catchment. Our results demonstrate that increased woodland cover can reduce peak flows during a large storm event and suggest that targeted placement of woodland can maximise the effectiveness of natural flood management interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptation policies are being increasingly implemented to cope with the increased frequency of natural disasters due to climate change. However, it is crucial to quantitatively evaluate the mitigating effects of these policies, as this allows for their assessment and prioritization. Therefore, this study sought to develop a nonlinear flood damage function for each administrative region of South Korea to quantify the potential damage caused by extreme rainfall events. Afterward, a power function was nested to model the coefficient of the flood damage function with regional factors characterizing each region's flood mitigation capacity. Here, regional factors were selected based on their linkage to two potential adaptation policies: enhancing retention reservoir and pumping capacity and enhancing river dike construction. The proposed evaluation framework was tested in 15 administrative districts in South Korea and the flood damage reduction effects of the two policy scenarios were estimated. The enhancement of retention reservoir and pumping capacity showed a 6.7% reduction effect, whereas enhancing river dike construction showed a 29.2% reduction effect. The implementation of both policies yielded a 34.3% reduction effect. Despite the limitations of this study, our findings still provide a quantitative comparison of the long‐term effects of national climate change adaptation measures. Additionally, accumulating more damage records would allow for the development of damage functions at a finer scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Automatisierungstechnik is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Transformations in river management that manifest diverse forms of (increased) human interference, evidenced by hydraulic ingenuity and associated ecosystem disturbance, are usually explained as successive water regimes. Researchers then analyse factors that triggered regime shifts and discuss (un) successful attempts by policymakers to juggle conflicting interests. Few studies, however, centre on medium-sized rivers that are nevertheless characterised by fragmented policies in which multiple stakeholder parties have a say. We discuss, through a close reading of archival records, the evolution of post-war water management in the Demer valley, Flanders. We conclude that agricultural interests prevailed until the 1970s, notwithstanding an early exploration of the valley's industrial and recreational potential, whereupon nature organisations put forward an alternative approach that led to changing policies in the early 1990s. These conclusions do not fit into the reportedly global transferable, river management model proposed by Wolf et al.* By showcasing the Demer's unique management developments and emphasising the individual aspects of the essentially rural Demer valley, we scrutinise the model's generalisability and argue that it is especially valid for industrialised rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The January 2011 flood event that impacted southeast Queensland is amongst the most extensive and severe floods in terms of loss of life and property damage that the region has experienced, despite it being only the eighth highest flood on record at the Brisbane City Gauge. The spring of 2010 was the wettest on record for Queensland, New South Wales, and the Murray-Darling Basin (Bureau of Meteorology 2011a) at that time. The flood mitigation dams in the region, Somerset Dam and Wivenhoe Dam, had to be operated for flood mitigation purposes during October 2010, which was the first occasion since February 2001 that Wivenhoe Dam had been called into action due to the Millennium Drought. The wet October was followed by a very dry November which, in turn, was followed by the wettest December on record for Brisbane. Somerset Dam and Wivenhoe Dam were again pressed into action on three separate occasions during December 2010. The resultant releases ensured that only minor flooding resulted in the Lower Brisbane River during these events. However, on the 5th of January 2011, another rainfall event started to unfold across the catchments of the dams. By the 10th of January 2011, an upper-level low combined with a humid easterly flow to bring very heavy rainfall and flash flooding to southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales. The heaviest falls were in the areas north and west of Brisbane, with three-day totals exceeding 200 mm over most of the Brisbane River catchment. This rainfall event resulted in a flood of record in the Upper Brisbane River and Upper Lockyer Creek catchments that sadly resulted in a substantial loss of life in Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley, and which required record releases from Wivenhoe Dam. The resultant downstream flooding saw some 14,000 properties impacted, principally in the Lockyer Valley Regional Council, Somerset Regional Council, Brisbane City Council, and Ipswich City Council local government regions. Flood damage was estimated to be around $2.53 billion. This paper discusses the event as it unfolded and the subsequent judicial inquiries, engineering reviews, and legal proceedings that resulted from the consequences of the operation of Somerset Dam and Wivenhoe Dam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dam break flows have been a focus of attention for a long in the hydraulic engineering discipline. The interest stems from their high hazard potential to human life and property. This research investigates a laboratory dam break flow using a 3D Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) and a 2D shallow water Eq. (2D SWE) model. The two numerical models have been compared to measured data regarding flow depth, streamwise surface flow velocity, and point velocity. The results show that as far as a simulation of water depths at gauging stations is concerned, both models are almost at par with an error of about 20% of the mean depth value. Further, the comparison of surface velocity field reveals that though both models are capable of reproducing the salient flow features, e.g., oblique hydraulic jump, wake, etc., the 3D RANS model is more accurate in predicting the jump length and the so-called wet–dry fronts. The important contribution of this research lies in clearly enunciating the tradeoffs between a 2D SWE model and a 3D RANS model. The former model is computationally efficient and accurate as far as flow depth and velocity are concerned while the latter model provides a more complete result output, e.g., vertical flow velocity, turbulent kinetic energy and turbulent dissipation, etc. However, for obtaining significant accuracy with a 3D model a more accurate turbulence model than RANS is required which necessitate usage of very refined mesh (~ mm), thus, raising the cost of the simulation manifold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Built environment flood resilience is a critical challenge facing communities worldwide. Amongst various efforts to resilience, the conception towards data utilization becomes popular with enormous technological advancements. Built environment creates varieties of data at larger volumes throughout their life cycle signifying that the importance of these data in the context of flood resilience cannot be ignored. However, despite the power of data, the greatest opportunities that exist for flood resilience enhancement have been mired by numerous and complex unidentified challenges. Thus, identifying these challenges with timely relevant strategies is a significant need. One of the best ways to tackle these challenges is by viewing them through the lens of data life cycle stages. This study, therefore, aimed to identify these challenges in each stage of the data life cycle with strategies to overcome them. Semi‐structured interviews conducted with 12 experts revealed the significant challenges allied with built environment data with potential future strategies. The qualitative content analysis was conducted to analyse the findings. The use of advanced sensing technologies, cloud‐based storage solutions, data governance policies and the development of predictive models are some of the consequential strategies outlined in this study. These findings provide valuable insights and guidance to facilitate built environment data utilization for flood resilience.

Mitigasi bencana merupakan upaya meminimalkan korban jiwa dan harta benda mulai dari pencegahan, kesiapsiagaan hingga pengurangan kerentanan. Normalisasi sungai dan Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) adalah bentuk mitigasi bencana struktural dan nonstruktural yang dilakukan dalam menghadapi bencana banjir. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi permasalahan penyebab banjir dan menganalisis bentuk mitigasi bencana banjir yang dilakukan di Kelurahan Mangkang Wetan berupa normalisasi sungai dan FEWS. Metode yang digunakan adalah analisis komparatif penanganan banjir di wilayah yang sudah melakukan praktik baik dengan kemungkinan aplikasinya di Kelurahan Mangkang Wetan untuk memberikan rekomendasi dalam peningkatan mitigasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa masih ada masyarakat yang tinggal di kawasan sangat rawan bencana, namun perangkat keras FEWS yang dapat memperkuat mitigasi justru kurang terawat. Di samping itu sudah terlihat upaya tata kelola kolaboratif dari pemerintah, NGO, dunia usaha, dan masyarakat Kelurahan Mangkang Wetan.

Urban drainage systems are generally designed to handle rainfall events only up to a certain intensity or volume. With climate change, extreme events that exceed the design storms and consequently result in flooding are occurring more frequently. Nature-based solutions (NBSs) have the potential to reduce the pressure on urban drainage systems and to increase their resilience. This study presents an approach to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of NBSs for flood mitigation using a coupled 1D/2D model of surface and sewer flow. The study analyzes the effect of infiltration systems (dimensioned to return periods of T = 5 and 100 years), various green roofs, and tree pits considering the different degrees of implementation. The NBSs are represented as LID elements according to SWMM. As expected, the mitigation effect of NBSs declines with increasing rainfall intensities. However, infiltration systems dimensioned to T = 100 years achieve almost three times the flood reduction compared to systems dimensioned to T = 5 years, even during extremely heavy rainfall events (100 mm), resulting in a reduced total flood volume of 15.1% to 25.8%. Overall, green roofs (excluding extensive green roofs) provide the most significant flood reduction (33.5%), while tree locations have the least effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation systems can be significantly affected by flooding, leading to physical damage and hindering accessibility. Despite flooding being a frequent occurrence, there are limited accessible online tools available for supporting routing and emergency planning decisions during flooding. Existing tools are generally based on complicated models and are not easily accessible to non-expert users, highlighting the need for efficient communication and decision-making tools for analyzing flood impacts on transportation networks for various stakeholders, including the public, to minimize the adverse impacts on those groups. This paper presents a web application that uses graph network methods and the latest web technologies and standards to assist in describing flood events in terms of operational constraints and provide analytical methods to support mobility and mitigation decisions during these events. The framework is designed to be user-friendly, enabling non-expert users to access information about road status, shortest paths to critical amenities, location-allocation, and service coverage. The study area includes the following two communities in the State of Iowa, Cedar Rapids and Charles City, which were used to test the application's functionality and explore the outcomes. Our research demonstrates that flooding can significantly affect bridge operation, routing from locations to critical amenities, arbitrary point-to-point routing, planning for emergency facility placement, and service area accessibility. The introduced framework can solve complex flood-related analytical decision tasks and provide an understandable representation of transportation vulnerability, enhancing mitigation strategies. Therefore, this web application provides a valuable tool for stakeholders to make informed decisions on transportation networks during flood events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban communities in environmentally sensitive areas face escalating challenges due to climate change and inadequate infrastructural support, particularly in underserved regions like southside Norfolk, Virginia. This area, characterized by its vulnerability to flooding and a predominantly low-income population, lacks equitable inclusion in broader urban flood protection plans. This research focuses on the development of community-centered resilience strategies through active engagement and collaboration with local residents. The methodology centered around building trust and understanding within the community through a series of interactions and events. This approach facilitated a two-way exchange of information, enabling the research team to gather crucial insights on community-valued assets, prevalent flooding issues, and preferred flood mitigation solutions. The engagement revealed a significant increase in community knowledge regarding climate change, sea level rise, and stormwater management. Residents expressed a strong preference for green infrastructure solutions, including rain gardens, permeable pavements, and living shorelines, alongside concerns about pollution and the need for infrastructure redesign. The outcomes of this community engagement have initiated plans to develop tailored, nature-based flooding solutions. These results are set to inform future urban planning and policy, offering insights to the City of Norfolk and the United States Army Corps of Engineers for potential redesigns of flood intervention strategies that are more inclusive and effective. A template for participatory research to inform coastal hazard management includes cross-sector collaboration, a long-term engagement commitment, and education and surveying opportunities to align solutions to lived, local experiences. This template allows for community trust building, which is especially important in environmental justice communities. The study highlights the importance of community involvement in urban resilience planning, demonstrating that local engagement is essential in shaping community-centric solutions and equitable environmental policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the catastrophic flooding that occurred in British Columbia, Canada in November 2021, the City of Merritt is facing a difficult decision about whether to rebuild or not. The developing situation in Merritt provided a unique opportunity to explore the different types of adaptations (i.e., investments in climate resilient infrastructure, rebuilding, construction of structural mitigation, zoning, and buyouts) considered by policymakers in advance of official municipal decisions. Through qualitative mixed methods (e.g., interviews, open houses, town council meetings), the study explored preliminary discussions among decision makers surrounding long term risk reduction options including rebuild and retreat strategies, perceptions of flood risk, recovery challenges faced by small-scale municipalities, the development of the community’s flood mitigation plan, and recommendations for post-disaster transitional supports. The results indicated that communities in the post-disaster recovery phase are considering the use of buyouts as a risk reduction tool amongst broader flood mitigation strategies, however policy constraints and a lack of funding are impeding the implementation of a flood mitigation plan that includes buyouts. The findings suggest that decisions about post disaster recovery are often independent of broader municipal climate change adaptation plans instead focusing on short-term risk reduction mechanisms. Additionally, transitional supports including interim housing need to be accounted for in recovery planning. Governments in Canada can capitalize on the policy windows during the post-disaster recovery stage and learn from municipalities about the challenges and opportunities in the design and implementation of flood mitigation plans that can help to improve disaster policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hogansburg Dam in Akwesasne, NY, on the lower St. Regis River, a tributary of the St. Lawrence River, was decommissioned and removed in 2016. The dam removal restored over 893 river km of migratory fish access. However, ice jams occurred on the lower St. Regis River in winter before and after the dam removal, which caused flooding in the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Reservation. This study reviewed the historical ice-jam conditions in the lower St. Regis River and the effect of dam removal. A two-dimensional river-ice model, DynaRICE, capable of simulating the dynamic ice transport and jamming processes, was used to evaluate pre- and post-dam-removal conditions of the Hogansburg Dam on the ice-jam flooding in the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Reservation. The study showed that the dam removal effect decreases as the breakup discharge increases. A potential mitigation scheme for reducing ice-jam floods in the Hogansburg area using ice booms was examined and recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban roads can be designated as surface flood passages to transport excess runoff during extreme storms, thereby preventing local flooding, which is known as the major drainage system. However, this practice poses significant risks, including human loss and property damage, due to the high flow rate and velocity carried by roads. Moreover, urban roads with low flood-resilience may significantly hamper the transportation function during severe storms, leading to dysfunction of the city. Therefore, there is an urgent need to transform risk-oriented flood passages into resilient urban road-based flood passages. This paper presents a systematic review of existing methodologies in designing a road network-based flood passage system, along with the discussion of new technologies to enhance system resilience. The study also addresses current knowledge gaps and future directions. The results indicate that flood management measures based on the urban road network should integrate accessibility assessment, lifeline and emergency planning to ensure human well-being outcomes. Furthermore, the special needs and features of vulnerable groups must be taken into serious consideration during the planning stage. In addition, a data-driven approach is recommended to facilitate real-time management and evaluate future works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flooding is a natural disaster with extensive impacts. Desert regions face altered flooding patterns owing to climate change, water scarcity, regulations, and rising water demands. This study assessed and predicted flash flood hazards by calculating discharge volume, peak flow, flood depth, and velocity using the Hydrologic Engineering Centre-River Analysis System and Hydrologic Modelling System (HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS) software. We employed meteorological and morphological data analyses, incorporating the soil conservation service (SCS) curve number method for precipitation losses and the SCS-Hydrograph for runoff transformation. The model was applied to two drainage basins (An-Nawayah and Al-Rashrash) in southeastern Cairo, Egypt, which recently encountered several destructive floods. The applied model revealed that 25-, 50-, and 100-year storms produced runoff volumes of 2461.8 × 103, 4299.6 × 103, and 5204.5 × 103 m3 for An-Nawayah and 6212 × 103, 8129.4 × 103, and 10,330.6 × 103 m3 for Al-Rashrash, respectively. Flood risk levels, categorised as high (35.6%), extreme (21.9%), and medium (21.12%) were assessed in low- and very-low-hazard areas. The study highlighted that the areas closer to the Nile River mouth faced greater flood impacts from torrential rain. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of these methods in assessing and predicting flood risk. As a mitigation measure, this study recommends the construction of five 10 m high dams to create storage lakes. This integrated approach can be applied to flood risk assessment and mitigation in comparable regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

looding is more common than earthquakes and hurricanes, leaving casualties, infrastructure damage, and economic losses in its wake. The October 2018 floods in Trinidad heightened public concern about the ability of public authorities to manage floods. This study investigates the impact of five combinations of detention basins and embankments on the cost of physical damage to residential buildings in the Caroni River Basin. Further comparison of the maximum flood depth before and after the implementation of structural mitigation combinations was conducted for typical design return periods of 5, 25, 50, and 100 years. The results showed that strategically introducing detention ponds along the Aripo and Guanapo Rivers caused the greatest reduction in flood damage cost (12.86%). Evidence also suggests that attenuation of flood waters by detention ponds is a better alternative to flood protection by embankmentonly options [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flooding in low-lying coastal cities is expected to worsen with climate change, and planning for long-term flood mitigation is challenging due to high uncertainty in projections. Risks are associated with under- or over-investment in expensive grey infrastructure. Implementing green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) on strategically large private properties may be a lower-risk alternative. In our previous studies published in 2022 and 2024, we found that the capability of industrial properties to supplement city flood mitigation was substantial. They could offset climate change impacts in the long term, even under a major climate change scenario, and reduce flood probabilities. In this paper, we restate their potential as a case study of large private properties to draw more attention from practitioners and transfer scientific knowledge into practice. The maximum flood mitigation capabilities of large private properties can be met through networks of GSI facilities and a long-term adaptation plan that considers all possible approaches to implementing GSI over time. However, government regulations and policies are needed to support their implementation to the maximum capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flooding is the responsibility of the government, so it is necessary to anticipate it together with the community through social participation. This paper aims to analyse the role of the government in anticipating floods and to analyse the forms of community social participation in anticipating floods. The research method used is mixed research, qualitative quantitative design (explanatory sequential). Data collection used participant observation techniques, in-depth interviews, questioners, and documentation studies. The data was analysed quantitatively then qualitative research was conducted and the results were verified and ended with a conclusion. The results of the research obtained (1) the role of the government, among others: (i) preparing an early warning system, (ii) preparing evacuation facilities and infrastructure, including evacuation routes, and (iii) forming structural and non-structural flood volunteer teams. (2) Forms of community social participation include: cleaning and increasing the depth of waterways such as sewers and canals, raising the concrete walls of waterways, raising the foundations of houses, and organising the residential environment. The conclusion of this research is that the government's role in flood mitigation in Makassar municipality focuses on things that prevent flooding. Forms of community social participation as a form of flood mitigation such as cleaning waterways, raising the walls of sewers and canals and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]