Abstract
One of the most dangerous challenges to settlements in the UK comes from flooding. Currently, there is extensive map coverage of flood hazards zones in the UK; however, it is increasingly recognised that risk associated with natural hazards cannot be reduced solely by focussing on the hazard. There is also an urgent need for methods of evaluating and mapping flood vulnerability and risk in detail. Despite its significance, conventional flood risk assessment methodologies often underestimate likely levels of vulnerability in areas prone to hazards, yet it is the degree of vulnerability within a community that determines the consequences of any given hazard. The research presented proposes a general methodology to assess and map Coastal Flood Vulnerability and Risk at a detailed, micro-scale level. This captures aspects that are considered crucial and representative of reality (socio-economic, physical and resilient features). The methodology is then applied to a UK case study (city of Portsmouth). Environment Agency flood hazard data, National Census socio-economic data and Ordnance Survey topographic map data have been used to evaluate and map coastal flood vulnerability, examining neighbourhoods within census wards. This led to a subsequent analysis of Coastal Flood Risk, via the combination of a Coastal Flood Vulnerability Index and a Coastal Flood Hazard Index, for the Portsmouth ward Hilsea. This, consequently, identifies potential weaknesses that could lead to more effective targeting of interventions to improve resilience and reduce vulnerability in the long term and provides a basis for hazard and environmental managers/planners to generate comprehensive national/international vulnerability and risk assessments.
Highlights
Extreme floods are among the most destructive forces of nature (Rougier et al 2013; Lamond 2012)
It is vital to measure and map coastal flood vulnerability, highlighting areas of high risk, facilitating better mitigation and adaptation. To address this complex challenge, this paper has presented research that has concentrated on the characteristics and demands of vulnerability assessments, when analysing coastal community flood risk at a detailed level of study
This results in a framework that brought the socio-economic, physical and limited resilience components of vulnerability together into one model. This produces a unique framework for measuring coastal flood vulnerability that operates at the level of detail necessary to deliver effective solutions for flood management and environmental planning
Summary
Extreme floods are among the most destructive forces of nature (Rougier et al 2013; Lamond 2012). They attract economic activity and settlements that lead to urbanisation, extension of infrastructure and other land use changes, resulting in further increases in flood vulnerability of coastal communities over time. This research has sought to assess and map UK Coastal Flood Vulnerability (CoFV) and Risk (CoFR) at a detailed, micro-scale level, examining neighbourhoods within census wards. This captures relevant features of coastal flood vulnerability (pre- and post-impact), assists our understanding of the reality of local vulnerability, in order to understand flood risk in detail, and results in an opportunity to prepare for and adapt to future flood events, at the level of detail necessary to deliver effective solutions
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