Flood risk management strategies using multi-criteria analysis

Abstract

Flood risk management is investigated in the context of a decision making problem. Various flood risk management strategies are considered the alternatives; the evaluation criteria of such strategies, previously defined in other research, are considered the decision criteria. The concept of ‘resilience’, also introduced in other research, is appropriately addressed in this regard. The application of multi-criteria decision making in flood risk management is demonstrated in a case study of the lower Rhine River. Flood risk management strategies other than the current strategy are defined based on the concept of resilience, and ranking of the strategies based on the flood risk management evaluation criteria is presented. The results are supported by uncertainty analyses to show the effect of uncertainties on the ranking order of the strategies.