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Communicating (nature‐based) flood‐mitigation schemes using flood‐excess volume
Author(s) -
Bokhove Onno,
Kelmanson Mark A.,
Kent Thomas,
Piton Guillaume,
Tacnet JeanMarc
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
river research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.679
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1535-1467
pISSN - 1535-1459
DOI - 10.1002/rra.3507
Subject(s) - flood myth , flood mitigation , scalability , environmental science , flood risk management , civil infrastructure , stakeholder , hydrology (agriculture) , computer science , environmental resource management , civil engineering , geography , engineering , geotechnical engineering , archaeology , database , public relations , political science
As interest mounts in nature‐based solutions (NBS) for flood mitigation as complementary options to civil‐engineering measures, possible flood‐protection strategies have become more diverse and hence complicated to assess. We offer a straightforward and educational protocol targeted for effectiveness analysis and decision making involving stakeholder participation. It is based on the concept of flood‐excess volume (FEV), the volume exceeding a threshold and generating flood damage, and explores what fraction of FEV is reduced, and at what cost, by particular flood‐mitigation measures. Quantification and interpretation of cost scenarios are facilitated using a graphical display that is easy to understand and encapsulates concepts of flood magnitude, FEV and protection‐measures efficacy. It is exemplified for two recent extreme‐flood events on the River Calder in Mytholmroyd (Yorkshire, United Kingdom) and the River Brague in Biot (Alpes‐Maritimes, France). Each case has different flood‐mitigation measures such as natural water‐retention measures, tree planting, river‐bed widening, or use of reservoirs and floods walls. Our straightforward protocol enables fast, quantifiable and easy‐to‐understand exploration of protection strategies using multiple measures, and in doing so highlights the issue of NBS scalability.