Abstract
Nowadays, as extreme weather increasingly threatens human health and economy, early warning system approaches are critical for timely preparedness and response. Towards the implementation of a multi-model forecasting system for flood hazards, this study presents a coupled application of three (3) models: The WRF-ARW weather model, the WRF-Hydro hydrological model, and the HEC-RAS 2D hydraulic model. A flash flood event that occurred on 9 October 2006 in Volos city, Greece, is used as a case study to assess the accuracy of the integrated modelling approach to simulate the flood hydrograph and flood extent in Xerias ungauged catchment. The hydrometeorological simulation results indicated a severe persistent storm over Pelion mountain at the northeast of Volos, as the main factor of the major flash flood and extensive impacts. Historical flood records retrieved by several conventional and non-conventional sources are used to validate the flooded area. Compared to the collected data and prior studies, the generated inundation map of Xerias river is found to realistically capture highly impacted areas which experienced infrastructure damage and human rescues from inundated roads and buildings. Results from our analyses show that the proposed physically-based modelling approach can give reliable inputs into flood risk management.
Highlights
Last century, extreme hydrometeorological hazards were considered to be one of the most critical natural hazards that caused substantial damages to natural and man-made environments.Based on the EM-DAT database, during the period 1900–2019, Europe experienced 1121 extreme hydrometeorological events that caused 13,019 deaths, affected about 25,657,172 people, and cost$250 billion [1]
Design hydrograph was not generated for the specific event but for a designed flood of 100 years and, as a result, the simulated maximum discharge value in junction R42 is lower than the maximum flow peaks of the other two hydrographs (i.e., Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) hydrograph and Clark IUH)
All of the study simulations manage to provide acceptable scores based on the percentage of validation points that fall within the simulated flood extent
Summary
Extreme hydrometeorological hazards were considered to be one of the most critical natural hazards that caused substantial damages to natural and man-made environments.Based on the EM-DAT database, during the period 1900–2019, Europe experienced 1121 extreme hydrometeorological events that caused 13,019 deaths, affected about 25,657,172 people, and cost$250 billion [1]. Based on the EM-DAT database, during the period 1900–2019, Europe experienced 1121 extreme hydrometeorological events that caused 13,019 deaths, affected about 25,657,172 people, and cost. Water 2019, 11, 2328 of extreme flood events have increased during the last decades. Sustainable flood risk management strategies and flood mitigation measurements have received much attention over the last two decades due to the increasing intensity, frequency, and magnitude of the severe flood events [2,3]. A key objective of this Directive is the formation of a generic framework for flood hazard and risk modelling and mapping to mitigate the adverse consequences of floods to the environment, human health, general economic activity, and sites of cultural heritage value [4]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call