An open source framework for publishing flood inundation extent libraries in a Web GIS environment using open source technologies

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe concept of static flood inundation extent libraries and their utilisation to anticipate the extent of inundation to alert and evacuate the population likely to get affected has been suggested by many researchers in different prototype studies. Actual implementation of the concept for a nation like India demands an automated practical operational software framework for systematic organisation, retrieval and visualisation of flood inundation extent libraries in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment. Implementation of a software framework in a Web GIS environment facilitates decision-makers to access the inundation library with a functionality to overlay other spatial layers for proper situation assessment and decision-making. Utilisation of an open source software library for developing the software framework reduces the overall project cost and its re-distribution. The present work addresses the development of an automated operational framework for one of the chronically flood affected states in India (Bihar) using open source libraries for updating libraries, cataloguing, database organisation, retrieval of data and visualisation of flood extent. The developed framework first reads and arranges the flood forecast information followed by database organisation for identifying the corresponding inundation extent and other related layers available in the library for visualisation.