Prioritization of Flash Flood-Prone Areas in Small Coastal Basins around the Mediterranean Using Geomorphological Variables

Abstract

The present study aims to model flash flood risk in small coastal watersheds in areas that are characterized by Mediterranean climate through extensive morphometric analysis which can prove invaluable for the investigation of flood risk, in ungauged watersheds, where flash floods are frequent. The available topographic data (EU-DEM) are analyzed through Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to produce all the secondary variables that are necessary for this morphometric analysis. Watershed prioritization techniques that are applied on geomorphological variables have proven to be an effective way of estimating the relative flash flood risk in a sub-watershed level. A series of morphometric parameters are used (bifurcation ratio, drainage frequency, drainage density, drainage texture, length of overland flow, circularity ratio, form factor, elongation ratio) which have an effect on flood risk. In small watersheds, with intermittent runoff, this effect can be different than in larger watersheds, so our methodology differs significantly from the methodology other researchers use. The compound factor is calculated by aggregating the assigned ranks of these morphometric indices and the sub-watersheds are prioritized according to their flash flood risk. The study area is located in the island of Samos, in Eastern Greece, where flood events are usual and pose a risk to villages and infrastructure around the island. The selected watershed (Imvrasos river) is divided into several sub-watersheds (W-1 to W-8) and a series of morphometric indices are calculated and evaluated through statistical procedures and by applying prioritization techniques, in order to locate the sub-basins that have the highest risk to flash floods. Sub-watersheds W-2 and W-3 (on the southern part of Imvrasos area) show the highest prioritization values, and should be prioritized for better watershed management planning.