In recent years, the continued technological advances have led to the spread of low-cost sensors and devices supporting crowdsourcing as a way to obtain observations of hydrological variables in a more distributed way than the classic static physical sensors. The main advantage of using these type of sensors is that they can be used not only by technicians but also by regular citizens. However, due to their relatively low reliability and varying accuracy in time and space, crowdsourced observations have not been widely integrated in hydrological and/or hydraulic models for flood forecasting applications. Instead, they have generally been used to validate model results against observations, in post-event analyses. This research aims to investigate the benefits of assimilating the crowdsourced observations, coming from a distributed network of heterogeneous physical and social (static and dynamic) sensors, within hydrological and hydraulic models, in order to improve flood forecasting. The results of this study demonstrate that crowdsourced observations can significantly improve flood prediction if properly integrated in hydrological and hydraulic models. This study provides technological support to citizen observatories of water, in which citizens not only can play an active role in information capturing, evaluation and communication, leading to improved model forecasts and better flood management.

Stakeholders' lack of awareness, involvement and participation in the planning and management of water resources and flood risk often creates problems in the acceptance and implementation of proposed measures. Interactions among stakeholders and decision makers build awareness, trust, enhance cooperation and negotiation for best possible measures. The main challenge in stakeholder participation is maintaining the participatory process. Stakeholders' spatial distribution, limitation of financial resources and diverse stakeholders' interest (even opposed) are some of the hindrances in maintaining the participatory process. Addressing these challenges and hindrances, this research developed and implemented three frameworks for developing "Networked Environments for Stakeholder Participation" (NESPs). Networked environments are web-based computer-aided or mobile environments for remote virtual interaction between participating entities such as stakeholders. NESPs are envisioned to enable stakeholder participation by providing sharing of information, planning, negotiating and decision support. NESPs were implemented in five real case studies (1) Lakes of Noord-Brabant, The Netherlands, (2) Danube river (Braila-Isaccea section), Romania, (3) Somes Mare catchment, Romania, (4) Cranbrook catchment, London and (5) Alster catchment, Hamburg, Germany. The overall results of the research show that networked environments can address the challenges and hindrances in stakeholder participation and enhance participation in water resources and flood management.

Primarily written as course material on flood control and drainage engineering for advanced students of civil engineering, this new fourth edition is again thoroughly revised. It accommodates recent developments in remote sensing, information technology and GIS technology. New added material deals with flood management due to Tsunami waves, flooding due to dam failure and breaking of embankments, application of dredging technologies, problems of flood forecasting, flood plain prioritization and flood hazard zoning, and engineering measures for flood control. Drainage improvement is tackled, with particular regard to salinity and coastal aquifer management from the ingress of sea water. The book includes design problem-solving and case studies, making it practical and applications-oriented. The subject matter will be of considerable interest to civil engineers, agricultural engineers, architects and town planners, as well as other government and non-government organizations.

Floods are one of the most common and widely distributed natural risks to life and property worldwide. There is a need to identify the risk of flooding in flood prone areas to support decisions for flood management from high level planning proposals to detailed design. An important part of modern flood risk management is to assess vulnerability to floods. This assessment can be done only by using a parametric approach. Worldwide there is a need to enhance our understanding of vulnerability and to also develop methodologies and tools to assess vulnerability. One of the most important goals of assessing flood vulnerability is to create a readily understandable link between the theoretical concepts of flood vulnerability and the day-to-day decision-making process and to encapsulate this link in an easily accessible tool. The present book portrays a holistic parametric approach to be used in flood vulnerability assessment and this way to facilitate the consideration of system impacts in water resources decision-making. The approach was verified in practical applications on different spatial scales and comparison with deterministic approaches. The use of flood vulnerability approach can produce helpful understanding into vulnerability and capacities for using it in planning and implementing projects.

Nowadays, the uncertainties associated with the process of making decisions for water infrastructure investments can be significant and arise from, amongst other factors, a lack of knowledge about primary external drivers, like climate change. New and improved methods for the assessment climate impacts and adaptation are needed to address these uncertainties; otherwise, investment strategies can be maladaptive, resulting in either increased risks or unnecessary costs of potentially irreversible measures. In response to this need, there has been a significant expansion of the approaches and methods in use. This book provides practical experience with two different assessment methods: Real-In-Options and Adaptation Tipping Points. These were selected because they both provide insight into and promote the ability of the system to deal with future change and thus can be used within a resilience approach. The resilience approach takes a dynamic perspective on adaptive processes and the effects of these processes at/across different spatio-temporal scales. Although the methods share a similar aim, they have considerable differences in orientation and application. This book discusses the concept, procedures, case examples and benefits/limitations of each method, examining its usefulness for informing investment decisions. It gives specific recommendations on which method to use under what circumstances.

This book assesses and illustrates innovative and practical world-wide measures for combating sea level rise from the profession of landscape architecture. The work explores how the appropriate mixture of integrated, multi-scalar flood protection mechanisms can reduce risks associated with flood events including sea level rise. Because sea level rise is a global issue, illustrative case studies performed from the United States, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Japan, China, and the Netherlands identify the structural (engineered), non-structural (nature-based), and hybrid mechanisms (mixed) used to combat sea level rise and increase flood resilience. The alternative flood risk reduction mechanisms are extracted and analyzed from each case study to develop and explain a set of design-based typologies to combat sea level rise which can then be applied to help proctor new and existing communities. It is important for those located within the current or future floodplain considering sea level rise and those responsible for land use, developmental, and population-related activities within these areas to strategically implement a series of integrated constructed and green infrastructure-based flood risk reduction mechanisms to adequately protect threatened areas. As a result, this book is beneficial to both academics and practitioners related to multiple design professions such as urban designers, urban planners, architects, real estate developers, and landscape architects.

Breakwaters and closure dams belong to the most spectacular hydraulic structures. They are exposed to the most severe loading by waves and currents, either during their construction, or during their life cycle.
Design and construction of these structures are so vitally interrelated that a proper understanding requires a thorough knowledge of the theory and a proper understanding of practical matters.
This book offers an essential, integrated combination of theory and practice to the graduate student. Beginning with a description of the functional requirements, it discusses the relevant theory and shows the application of experience and theoretical knowledge to the design.

This book tackles the question of how we can manage flood-related disaster risks, such as from typhoons, monsoons, and torrential rain, which have been intensified by climate change and have generated unprecedented floods, landslides and debris flows worldwide. It presents recent conceptual developments in disasters, risk and resilience, and surveys UN policies on environment and development as well as disaster management. Sustainable and resilient development requires an integrated approach and human empowerment. Japan provides a useful example of effective flood management and disaster recovery in its current strategies for river and basin integrated flood management. Very few English-language books present up-to-date Japanese experiences for students and professionals in the context of global trends, relevant to a time of climate change and with global application. * Outlines an integrated approach to flood risk management in the context of UN initiatives * Details Japanese good practice developed through culture and the needs of a changing society Integrated Flood Risk Management is ideal for professionals working for environmental agencies, hydrologists and engineers, as well as students of disaster management and water resources development.

This book presents state-of-the-art, essential methods and tools for flood risk assessment and management. The costs of damage caused by extreme weather events, among which floods are a major category, are rapidly rising, both globally and across Europe. The scope and scale of flood episodes point to the need for comprehensive proposals, including the implementation of flood protection measures in areas exposed to flood risk. This book is dedicated to flood damage assessment, and addresses the management of social, economic and environmental damage. It develops a general methodology for flood risk assessment and presents a range of effective flood protection methods in keeping with the objectives of flood risk management. As such, it offers a valuable resource for young researchers, academics, lecturers and water management practitioners alike.

This book provides an overview of flood and drought in the Lower Mekong Basin, reviews the characteristics of flood and drought, and details structural and non-structural measures for flood and drought mitigation employed in the basin countries, as well as their flood and drought mitigation capacity. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable resource for researchers and engineers in the field of transboundary rivers, especially those with an interest in the Lower Mekong River.

Alluvial fans are ubiquitous geomorphological features that occur throughout the world, regardless of climate, at the front of mountains as the result of erosion and deposition. They are more prominent in semi- and arid climates simply because of the lack of vegetative cover that masks their fan shapes in more humid areas. From both engineering and geological viewpoints, alluvial fans present particular fluvial and sedimentation hazards in semi- and arid regions because episodic rainfall-runoff events can result in debris, mud, and fluvial flows through complex and, in some cases, migratory channel systems. Further, in semi- and arid climates alluvial fans often end in terminal or playa lakes. Given the uniform topography of playa lakes, these features often present ideal locations for facilities such as airports; however, regardless of the engineering advantages of the topography, the episodic and often long-term flooding of these lakes attracts migratory birds. The purpose of this volume is to summarize the current state-of-the-art, from the viewpoint of engineering, in the identification and mitigation of flood hazard on alluvial fans; and to accomplish this a fundamental understanding of geology is required.

This book focuses on water pollution, water management and water structures. Presenting contributions on water quality and quantity issues from the engineering point of view, it discusses a variety of issues, from storm water management in urban areas and water quantity, to hydraulic structures, hydrodynamic modeling and flood protection. The book also provides state-of-the-art insights, which that can be used to effectively solve a variety of problems in integrated water resources management, and introduces the latest research advances. Edited and authored by pioneers in the field who have been at the forefront of water management development in the Czech Republic, this book is a valuable resource for environmental professionals, including scientists and policymakers, interested in water-related issues both in the Czech Republic and elsewhere.

Our changing climate and more extreme weather events have dramatically increased the number and severity of floods across the world. Demonstrating the diversity of global flood risk management (FRM), this volume covers a range of topics including planning and policy, risk governance and communication, forecasting and warning, and economics. Through short case studies, the range of international examples from North America, Europe, Asia and Africa provide analysis of FRM efforts, processes and issues from human, governance and policy implementation perspectives. Written by an international set of authors, this collection of chapters and case studies will allow the reader to see how floods and flood risk management is experienced in different regions of the world. The way in which institutions manage flood risk is discussed, introducing the notions of realities and social constructions when it comes to risk management. The book will be of great interest to students and professionals of flood, coastal, river and natural hazard management, as well as risk analysis and insurance, demonstrating multiple academic frameworks of analysis and their utility and drawbacks when applied to real-life FRM contexts.

This illustrated notebook highlights the need for a change of paradigm in current flood management practices, one that acknowledges the wide-ranging and interdisciplinary benefits brought by public space design. Reassessing and improving established flood management methods, public spaces are faced with a new and enhanced role as mediators of flood adaptation able to integrate infrastructure and communities together in the management of flood water as an ultimate resource for urban resilience. The book specifically introduces a path towards a new perspective on flood adaptation through public space design, stressing the importance of local, bottom up, approaches. Deriving from a solution-directed investigation, which is particularly attentive to design, the book offers a wide range of systematized conceptual solutions of flood adaptation measures applicable in the design of public spaces. Through a commonly used vocabulary and simple technical notions, the book facilitates and accelerates the initial brainstorm phases of a public space project with flood adaptation capacities, enabling a direct application in contemporary practice. Furthermore, it offers a significant sample of real-case examples that may further assist the decision-making throughout design processes. Overall, the book envisions to challenge established professionals, such as engineers, architects or urban planners, to work and design with uncertainty in an era of an unprecedented climate.

During the past years, Saudi Arabia has been affected by particularly severe torrential rains and floods. This book presents an in-depth and all-encompassing study on the floods that occurred in the Jeddah area in 2009 and 2011, including water-flow mechanisms, state-of-the-art techniques for flood assessment, flood control and appropriate management approaches. It highlights a number of methods and concepts that can be applied in similar areas in Saudi Arabia in order to reduce and mitigate the impact of torrential rains and floods.

This book presents climate adaptation and flood risk problems and solutions in coastal cities, including an independent investigation of adaptation paths and problems in Rotterdam, New York and Jakarta. The comparison draws out lessons that each city can learn from the others. While the main focus is on coastal flooding, cities are also affected by climate change in other ways, including impacts that occur away from the coast. The New York City Water Supply System, for example, stretches as far as 120 miles upstate, and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection has undertaken extensive climate assessment not only for its coastal facilities, but also for its upstate facilities, which will be affected by rising temperatures, droughts, inland flooding and water quality changes.

The authors examine key questions, such as: Are current city plans climate proof or do we need to finetune our ongoing investments? Can we develop a flood proof subway system? Can we develop new infrastructure in such a way that it serves flood protection, housing and natural values?

Floods are of increasing public concern world-wide due to increasing damages and unacceptably high numbers of injuries. Previous approaches of flood protection led to limited success especially during recent extreme events. Therefore, an integrated flood risk management is required which takes into consideration both the hydrometeorogical and the societal processes. Moreover, real effects of risk mitigation measures have to be critically assessed. The book draws a comprehensive picture of all these aspects and their interrelations. It furthermore provides a lot of detail on earth observation, flood hazard modelling, climate change, flood forecasting, modelling vulnerability, mitigation measures and the various dimensions of management strategies. In addition to local and regional results of science, engineering and social science investigations on modelling and management, transboundary co-operation of large river catchments are of interest. Based on this, the book is a valuable source of the state of the art in flood risk management but also covers future demands for research and practice in terms of flood issues.

Flood damages are increasing as a result of frequent occurrence of large floods in many parts of the world, existing and continuing encroachment of development onto flood plains and aging flood protection structures. Under such circumstances, there is an ongoing search for better ways of protecting human life, land, property and the environment by improved flood management. Many flood management measures have been practiced in various jurisdictions, including living with floods, non-structural measures (e.g. regulations, flood defence by flood forecasting and warning, evacuations, and flood insurance), and structural measures (e.g., land drainage modifications, reservoirs, dykes and polders). Such flood management is difficult in river basins controlled by a single authority, and becomes even more challenging when dealing with transboundary floods, which may originate in one country or jurisdiction and then propagate downstream to another country, or jurisdiction.

The very word "barrages" is evocative. In the context of tidal waters it conjures up pictures of massive structures and environmental change. Barrages represent the engineer?s success where King Canute failed ? to stop the tide coming in. They are hardly a new concept as man has for centuries tried to harness tidal power to drive his machinery, but a new breed of barrage is emerging, aimed at regenerating depressed urban areas. One of the primary aims of such schemes has been to drown "unsightly" mud flats. If you happen to be a wading bird used to enjoying the worms that live in intertidal mud flats you may not share that perspective. Indeed, many people today tend to side with the birds, fish and other ecological wonders and often find themselves in conflict with the promoters of a barrage scheme. How far are their fears justified? Are the negative impacts as bad as some people have predicted or even worse? How accurately can the impacts be predicted by scientific methods? Can the barrage be designed and its operation controlled to mitigate any negative effects as well as to optimise its primary objective? These issues are addressed in this book by authors drawing on their experience of research and practical experience.

This comprehensive manual provides extensive information on the types of revetment available and provides guidance on the choice and design of these systems. With regard to natural and artificial watercourses information is included on revetments that incorporate some form of structural protection and revetments which combine this protection with vegetation to increase the environmental quality of the systems. Extensive use of photographs, flowcharts and diagrams allow the engineer to choose the most appropriate type of revetment and the most cost-effective design.

This book discusses the functions of revetments and the different aspects of structural performance. It includes example specifications and calculations that enable the engineer to choose the most stable, appropriate and cost-effective revetment system for a given situation. The book guides the engineer through the design process, from identifying hydraulic loading conditions and initial dimensioning of the revetment elements to detailed design of the revetment elements to ensure adequate protection against design wave conditions.

Flood risk is increasing across the UK and globally. This book provides a highly visual guide to flood resilience, and the ways in which the built and natural environment can be adapted to the threat of flooding. It offers advice on how to better understand the nature of flood risk, highlighting the key approaches and principles necessary for developing community and property flood resilience. Offering clear visual examples of the variety of resilience strategies that are appropriate and applicable to a range of flood risk contexts, this book is an invaluable practical manual for architects and professionals across the built environment. Highly practical handbook for architects, students, engineers, urban planners and other built environment professionals Richly illustrated with practical examples and case studies Draws on research from government, academic and industry experts as well as first-hand experiences from flood affected communities

Read a free excerpt here! American engineers have done astounding things to bend the Mississippi River to their will: forcing one of its tributaries to flow uphill, transforming over a thousand miles of roiling currents into a placid staircase of water, and wresting the lower half of the river apart from its floodplain. American law has aided and abetted these feats. But despite our best efforts, so-called "natural disasters" continue to strike the Mississippi basin, as raging floodwaters decimate waterfront communities and abandoned towns literally crumble into the Gulf of Mexico. In some places, only the tombstones remain, leaning at odd angles as the underlying soil erodes away. Mississippi River Tragedies reveals that it is seductively deceptive-but horribly misleading-to call such catastrophes "natural." Authors Christine A. Klein and Sandra B. Zellmer present a sympathetic account of the human dreams, pride, and foibles that got us to this point, weaving together engaging historical narratives and accessible law stories drawn from actual courtroom dramas. The authors deftly uncover the larger story of how the law reflects and even amplifies our ambivalent attitude toward nature-simultaneously revering wild rivers and places for what they are, while working feverishly to change them into something else. Despite their sobering revelations, the authors' final message is one of hope. Although the acknowledgement of human responsibility for unnatural disasters can lead to blame, guilt, and liability, it can also prod us to confront the consequences of our actions, leading to a liberating sense of possibility and to the knowledge necessary to avoid future disasters.