The value of integrating information from multiple hazards for flood risk analysis and management

This article presents a methodology for estimating flood risk in urban areas integrating pluvial flooding, river flooding and failure of both small and large dams. The first part includes a review of basic concepts on flood risk analysis, evaluation and management. Flood risk analyses may be developed at local, regional and national level, however a general methodology to perform a quantitative flood risk analysis including different flood hazards is still required. The second part describes the proposed methodology, which presents an integrated approach - combining pluvial, river flooding and flooding from dam failure, as applied to a case study: an urban area located downstream of a dam under construction. The methodology enhances the approach developed within the SUFRI project ("Sustainable Strategies of Urban Flood Risk Management to cope with the residual risk", 2009-2011). This article also shows how outcomes from flood risk analysis provide better and more complete information to inform authorities, local entities and the stakeholders involved in decision-making with regard to flood risk management. The work presented in this paper has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) through the grant to the budget of the SUFRI project (EUI 2008-03933) and of the iPRESARA project (BIA 2010-17852). Castillo Rodríguez, JT.; Escuder Bueno, I.; Altarejos García, L.; Serrano Lombillo, AJ. (2014). The value of integrating information from multiple hazards for flood risk analysis and management. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 14(2):379-400. doi:10.5194/nhess-14-379-2014 ANCOLD: Guidelines on Risk Assessment, Australian National Committee on Large Dams Inc., Australia, 2003. Bowles, D. S.: ALARP Evaluation: Using Cost Effectiveness and Disproportionality to Justify Risk Reduction, ANCOLD Bull., 127, 89–104, 2004. Bowles, D. S., Giuliani, F. L., Hartford, D. N. D., Janssen, J. P. F. M. H., McGrath, S., Poupart, M., Stewart, D., and Zielinski, P. A.: ICOLD Bulletin 130 on "Risk Assessment in Dam Safety Management", IPENZ Proceedings of Technical Groups 33/2, Paris, France, 2005. COPUT: Plan de Acción Territorial de Carácter Sectorial sobre Prevención de Riesgo de Inundación en la Comunidad Valenciana (PATRICOVA), Conselleria d'Obres Públiques, Urbanisme i Territori, Valencia, Spain, 2002. Directive 2007/60/EC: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 on the assessment and management of flo