GISC9315- QGIS Flood Risk Analysis

Assignment D4
GIS-Geospatial Management Inc.

Prepared By:
Md Shakhin Uz Zaman
GIS-GM Program Candidates
Niagara College
135 Taylor Road, Niagara-on-the-lake, ON
L0S 1J0

Prepared For:
GISC9315-D1
Mike Wallace CET, OLS OLIP
Professor
Niagara College
135 Taylor Road, Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON
L0S 1J0

April 20, 2017

 20 April 2017
GISC9315-D4
Mike Wallace CET, OLS OLIP
Professor
Niagara College
135 Taylor Road, Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON
L0S 1J0

Dear Mr. Wallace,

Re: Assignment GISC9315D4, QGIS Flood Risk Analysis.

Please accept this letter as my formal submission of Assignment#D4: QGIS Flood Risk
Analysis for partial fulfillment of the course GISC9315-CAD and GIS.

This assignment serves as an introduction to gain a basic practical familiarity of QGIS, apply
spatial analysis techniques using the tools available in QGIS and produce a professional quality
map book. Through this assignment, I have learned familiarity with QGIS. Thus, this assignment
has great value to work in future.

Should you have any question regarding the enclosed documents, or if there are technical
issues regarding the files please contact me at your convenience at (647) 739 8609. Thank
you for your time and attention. I look forward to your comments or suggestions.

Kindest Regards,

Md Shakhin Uz Zaman
GIS-GM Certificate Candidate
MZ

Enclosures:
1) Technical Memorandum.

Apt#503, 64-Roehampton Avenue, St.Catharines, ON L2M 7P5

Tel: (647) 739 8609; Email: shakhinzaman@gmail.com
 TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM

Project: CAD and GIS.

Mike Wallace CET, OLS OLIP Prepared By:

Professor Md Shakhin Uz Zaman
Client: GIS-GM Niagara College GIS-GM Certificate Candidate
135 Taylor Rd. Niagara College
Niagara-on-the-Lake Niagara-on-the-Lake
L0S 1J0 L0S 1J0
Subject: QGIS Flood Risk Analysis

Date: 20 April, 2016 Project ID: GISC9315-D4

1. Introduction
Dewey, Cheatam & Howe Insurance of the Niagara Region was introducing flood risk analysis on
the buildings within the area as part of its property insurance coverage. To provide this coverage
individual properties were assessed to the relative risk of water damage. To fulfill this task a risk
analysis was developed on watershed analysis of a representative neighbourhood. The analysis
was indicating which homes are more at risk than others for flooding from overland water
sources (rainfall).

The main aim of this project was to apply spatial analysis techniques using the tools available in
QGIS and produce a professional quality map book. This report was included with the
methodologies, analysis, and the conclusion to be given to the mentioned insurance company.
This project was undertaken using QGIS to create a DEM, undertake a watershed / terrain
analysis to produce mapping showing which houses are more likely to flood and a report detailing
findings.

2. Provided Data and Study Area

welland_data.sqlite database was provided with the building footprints for the structures related
parcel fabric and elevation contours at Welland in the Niagara Region (Figure 1).

1|Page
 Study Area, Welland, Niagara Region, ON

0 37.5 75 150 225 300

Meters

1:3,000

KEY MAP LEGEND

Welland Buildings Footprints
Channel_order1
Channels_order2
Channels_order3
Author: Md Shakhin Uz Zaman
Channels_order4
Created For: GISC9315-D4
Study Area Roads

Hillshade.tif Spatial Reference: NAD 1983

UTM_Zone_17N
Value
High : 254 Date: 20 April 2017
Niagara Region
Low : 56 Source: Niagara College

Figure 1: Study area at Welland in the Niagara Region

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3. Methodology

3.1 Creation of Digital Elevation Model (DEM)

The first task on completing this goal was adding data to QGIS from the welland_data.sqlite
database. Contour layer was selected and reviewed for containing the elevation data to create
DEM. To complete this task, plugins was reviewed and interpolation belongs to Raster tab was
activated. Contours data were inputted as vector layer in input box with Height field selected in
interpolation attribute. In output box, Triangular interpolation (TIN) was selected as method with
cell size equivalent to DEM resolution as 1m for both X and Y. After executing DEM, it was
reviewed and formatted.

3.2 Watershed Analysis

For the purposes of this analysis, different modules were executed using DEM as a surface model.
Descriptions and purpose of the module were give below:

3.2.1 Fill Sinks (Wang & Liu) module

SAGA GIS modules were active from Processing Options toolbox in the menu bar to run the Fill
Sinks (wang & liu) module. This module uses an algorithm proposed by Wang & Liu to identify
and fill surface depressions in DEM. The method was enhanced to allow the creation of
hydrologic sound elevation models, i.e. not only to fill the depression(s) but also to preserve a
downward slope along the flow path (Wang, L. & H. Liu 2006). This is accomplished by preserving
a minimum slope gradient or elevation difference between cells. The output result was
formatted after classifing with standard classification for directions which were given below.

Table 1: Standard classification for directions

-1 A pit or sink (water collects and does not flow out)

1 East
2 North-East
3 North
4 North-West
5 West
6 South-West
7 South
8 South-East

3.2.2 Strahler order module

Strahler number is a numerical measure of its branching complexity. It referred to as the Strahler
stream order and are used to define stream size based on a hierarchy of tributaries. Strahler
order module was executed from the processing toolbox using new filled DEM. The output result
was formatted thematically as given below:

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a. Style properties: was changed the render type to Singleband pseudocolor with color palette
selected.

b. Load min/max values: min/max option and the accuracy to Actual were loaded to change
the value from a 4 to an 8 (true value).

c. Colour palette: was selected to Random Colors with classes of 8 to match the maximum
value.

d. Transparency: the values from 1 to 4 were selected as being 100% transparent.

3.2.3 Channel network and drainage basins module.

Channel network and drainage basins module was executed with the Channels and Drainage
Basins selection to produce a channel network and drainage basin. A channel network is
otherwise considered a drainage network of water flow over terrain and channel basins are sub-
basins (polygons) depicting where water would accumulate in different areas of the DEM.

4. Assumptions
1. Larger Strahler order streams represent greater flow.
2. Larger catchments represent greater risk as more rainfall is being collected within that
region.
3. Closer to streams would be at a higher risk due to a larger volume of water being directed
toward the property during a rain or spring melt event.

5. Analysis
Based on assumptions, all the channels were queried and separated to create shapefiles
according to Order values in attribute table. There were four different values from 1 to 4 in
order field. Thus, four separated shapefiles of channels were created such as channel order 1,
channel order 2, channel order 3 and channel order 4. Three different buffers were performed
for each channel order. For the channel order.1, the buffer distances were 1, 2 and 5 metres,
assuming small order represents less influence. For channels order 2, buffer distances were 10,
15 and 20 metres. In the same way 30, 40 and 50 metres and 60, 80 and 100 metres buffer
distances were selected for channels order 3 and channels order 4 respectively, assuming larger
order represents greater influence. Then, four buffers from each order were merged together to
produce a single buffer. Thus, three different buffers were created to represent High, Medium,
and Low risk. The matrix was given in table below:

Page | 4
Table 2: Risk matrix (High, Med Low) based on the channel order.

Channel Order Buffer Distances in metres

High Risk Medium Risk Low risk
1 1 2 5
2 10 15 20
3 30 40 50
4 60 80 100
After creating buffers, building_footprints were selected to intersect with each of the buffer to
represent buildings with high, medium, or low risk of flooding.

6. Map Book Publishing

QGIS Atlas allows you to create multiple maps using records in a shapefile or spatial data set.
The steps were given below:
1. Create a new composer window: QGIS Composer was selected to set map output using
File- New composer tabs.
2. Add a new map item: In new QGIS Composer, New Map Item tool was selected. Then
it was dragged and created a rectangle in Composer map canvas.
3. Choose coverage layer: coverage layer was the index layer. It was used to create each
individual page. QGIS Atlas dynamically changed the view extent to each feature in the
coverage layer. The number of grids in the coverage was determining the number of
pages of map book. The grid shape file was created using mmqgis plugin.
4. Select Controlled By Atlas in Item Properties: In the Item Properties tab, the box for
Controlled By Atlas was checked.
5. QGIS Atlas Map book: The result was a 31-page PDF of each feature in the index layer.

7. Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

1. The basis for determining flood risk was the watershed analysis of a representative
neighbourhood. It was defined by the classes of buildings which contained three
categories of risk (low, medium, and high).
2. To facilitate the use of the results for insurance officials, buffers layers were intersected
with building footprints identifying the houses at risk of flooding (Figure 2).
3. The results were showing that 103 houses appeared most vulnerable, 53 houses
appeared medium vulnerable and 22 houses appeared low vulnerable to overland water
sources or rainfall. However, 118 houses were safe or very low risk in flooding.
4. The results of flood risk analyses may be very uncertain. However, they are useful in a
comparative sense, e.g. for deciding between different protection options and possible
safety improvements.

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 Page | 6
Figure 2: Flood risk analysis overview
8. References
1. Wallace, M. 2017: Feature Sources/ Map Layout-Terms of Reference for Deliverables 9315-D4.

2. Wang, L. & H. Liu (2006): An efficient method for identifying and filling surface depressions in
digital elevation models for hydrologic analysis and modelling. International Journal of
Geographical Information Science, Vol. 20, No. 2: 193-213.