A State-of-the-Art Review of Flood Risk Assessment in Urban Area

Abstract

Flood risk management has become more significant in the face of rapid urban development and the climate change. Many governments and the decision makers have recognized the requirement of resilient flood management policies and strategies for sustainable urban development. During the recent decades, various conceptual framework of flood risk assessment and management emerged and they in turn questioned the characterization of resilience in flood risk management. More recently, research on flood risk management and spatial planning have demonstrated a common discussion platform appreciating the concept of flood resilience in policy and strategy making. However, assessment and operationalization of flood resilience is often questionable due to its conceptual vagueness. The present work is a review of the plurality views of flood resilience. Resilience thinking has moved the focus of flood risk assessment towards vulnerability. Flood resilience embeds the incorporation of spatially distributed land use policies and regulations which are a must for the management of flood vulnerability. Spatial planning reflecting flood resilience becomes vital when managing the uncertainty incorporated with flood risk management. However, the operationalization and legitimacy of the importance of the combined role of spatial planning and flood risk management with stakeholder acceptance still remains implicit and weak.