An Inventory of Measures and Solutions Coping with Floods around the World

An Inventory of Measures and Solutions Coping with Floods around the World

Hekal, N.

Verhagen, H.J.
Lukovac, N.

TU Delft

2000-03-01

From the very earliest times, man has sought to reduce the damaging impact of floods. However, despite a growing understanding of flood hydrology, plus the application of an increasingly complex technology and the injection of progressively larger capital sums, flood losses continue to rise. The concentration was principally placed on the engineering structural solution to combat floods. Unfortunately, this solution has been lately perceived to be environmentally unfriendly, as it proved to have severe environmental impacts and consequences. Therefore, geographers and environmentalists have called on flood-prone communities to think of new ways of coping with floods that are environmentally friendly and much more effective in reducing the flood losses. The main objective of this thesis is to explore and list the possible flood mitigation measures adopted worldwide to examine the reasons and conditions that have entailed their application. This could help as a future reference to select and adopt the most relevant measures in other similar situations and conditions. To achieve this objective, different classifications of flood alleviation measures and solutions have been reviewed. Some evaluation methods, which indicate the measures that should be applied or the impacts and consequences that should be avoided after their implementation, have also been discussed. The considerations to be taken in the decision-making process when selecting the measures have been approached. Several case studies from different countries have been investigated to show the flood protection measures applied there with a view to giving practical examples that could be followed and simulated whenever possible. Based on these investigations, the thesis concluded that the different flood mitigation measures adopted in different places around the world hold one thing in common. It is that they reflect the communities' visions ofthemselves. Communities must be aware of their risks and plan accordingly, weighing mitigation alternatives with community needs. Also, the decision-making process is largely energized by the availability of funding, the need for a short term of the rate of return, and the direct impacts on society, whereas the indirect social aspects and the sustain ability of the flood-protection schemes are usually forgotten. Moreover, the environmental impacts that are consequent on the application of any measure are considered a governing factor in the selection of the measure especially in this age of environmental awareness and conscientiousness. Finally, it was recommended that a thoroughly examined combination of the measures can minimize the flood losses as much as possible since every flood mitigation measure has benefits and harms to the flood-prone communities. In addition, the more case studies reviewed, the more ways of coping with floods could be found.

flood risk
river flood
flood management

TPE700100

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:f8494581-002a-4dd7-ae4b-70a6de7626f0

IHE Delft

IHE MSc thesis 2000.053, in cooperation with Rijkswaterstaat, DWW

Hydraulic Engineering Reports

report

(c) 2000 Nasr Hekal