Workshop on Flood Risk Management Measures & Links to EU WFD

Structural and non-structural

measures in flood risk management

Dr Marina Babić Mladenović

Jaroslav Černi Institute, Belgrade, Serbia

Zagreb, 11-12 November 2015

 Flood risk = Hazard × Exposure × Vulnerability

• Hazard: Potential for harm, loss or damage. Exists

where land is prone to flooding. Increases with depth of
inundation, velocity of flow, and duration of inundation.

• Exposure: Potential for personal danger or property

damage during flood.
Flood risk exists only if there are assets that may be
damaged or if people live, work, or transit through the
flood hazard area.

• Vulnerability: Actual consequences of flood depend

on how vulnerable people and assets are to danger and
damage. Can be reduced if:
(i) assets are made less susceptible to damage
(ii) people are more aware of the flood risk, are well
prepared, know what to do during a flood emergency,
and have access to emergency services and post-flood
support.

RISK = HAZARD x EXPOSURE x VULNERABILITY
MODIFY HAZARD
• Flood control dams
• Detention basins
• Levees or dikes
• Flood diversion channels
• River channel improvements
• Upper watershed
management
STRUCTURAL
ENVIRONMENT
What can be done?
MODIFY EXPOSURE MODIFY VULNERABILITY
• Land use zoning • Flood monitoring and
• Property acquisition warning
• Planning development • Flood forecasting
controls • Emergency response plans
• Building codes • Community awareness
• Flood-proofing buildings • Community preparedness
• Post-flood recovery &
reconstruction
• Flood insurance
NON-STRUCTURAL
SOCIETY
 Management of Flood Hazard (1)
Flood hazard is natural component of flood risk
Worsening in CC conditions
Structural flood control works modify flood hazard:
• flood control reservoirs and flood detention basins reduce
flood discharges downstream, directly modifying the physical
characteristics of floods in terms of their spatial extent of
inundation, depths of flooding, and flood flow velocities;
• flood dikes (levees) directly modify the spatial extent of
flooding, also affecting flood depths and flow velocities;
• river channel training; and
• flood diversion channels modify the spatial distribution of
flooded areas to reduce hazard in areas where more people
and assets are exposed.
Watershed management – control of sediment and runoff:
• Erosion control measures
• Torrent control measures

Responsibility of governmental authorities and local communities

 Management of Flood Hazard (2)
Problem of residual risk
Flood hazard can be reduced, never fully eliminated

Residual risk exists because of possible:

• failure of flood management structures (breach of levee, etc.);
• failure of a reservoir;
• severe flood exceeding a design standard (levee overtopping).

Residual risk in areas protected by levees:

• Particular risk from rapid arrival of fast-flowing and deep
water flooding, with little or no warning if defences are
overtopped or breached.
• Levee construction encourages development in the protected
area. Value of property and number of people at risk increase
- consequences of levee overtopping or breaching are then
much greater than before construction.
• Residents/users of the protected area don’t understand that
the risk is only changed and has not been eliminated.
 Management of Exposure of People and Assets
to Flood Hazard (1)
Exposure is human component of flood risk
Permanently growing!

In flood hazard areas are exposed to floods :

• People who live and work in, or transit through
• Private properties, commercial assets, and public infrastructure

Flood risk increases with increasing exposure (higher intensity of

land use, rising value of property or assets located on land with
flood hazard, and higher populations that live or work on the land or
use it for other purposes).

Development on floodplains is in the interests of national and

social progress, and must be permitted
Floodplains should be managed wisely
 Management of Exposure of People and Assets
to Flood Hazard (2) - Methods
1. Resettlement – rarely possible

1. Regulation of land use - most effective when directed at future development

(i) Residential development (appropriate types of buildings, limitations, proper locations of
public services like schools, hospitals, emergency services etc)
(ii) Permitting of enterprises (storage of hazardous materials prohibited),
(iii) Planning of public infrastructure (routing and/or locations of key infrastructure -
electricity substations, water supply, water treatment, and sewerage facilities)
A preliminary step is flood hazard mapping - different zones or categories of flood hazard.

Done within statutory spatial planning, a typical local government responsibility.

 Management of Vulnerability
to Danger or Damage (1)
 Measures to manage vulnerability in flood risk management are
non-structural
 Essential for management of the residual risk
 Careful planning, regular review of plans to maintain
preparedness and swift mobilization of planned actions during
flood emergencies
 Different implementation timetable (prior, during and after
flood)

1. Prior to flooding adequate precautions reduce vulnerability:

a) Established support services (flood forecasting and decision
support systems)
b) Developed reliable communications systems and flood warning
data networks
c) Determined evacuation routes and temporary refuge facilities
d) Advance planning and trials of emergency management
procedures
 Management of Vulnerability
to Danger or Damage (2)
2. Emergency response to flooding
a) Supply of materials, telecommunications, transport, and
power for flood defence emergency measures and flood
fighting units
b) Evacuation and rescue, other actions necessary to manage
public safety and security

3. Recovery activities after flood

a) Provide material needs of flood victims, including temporary
supply of food and shelter
b) Support services: cleanup, prevention of epidemics and
waterborne diseases, and counselling to overcome personal
distress and financial problems
c) Repairs and rehabilitation of public infrastructure (water
supply and sewerage)
d) Financial assistance for incurred losses, housing repairs,
businesses
River basin master plans Project proposal, planning & appraisal
• risk assessment PLANNING
• appraisal of alternative options
Planning for emergency response Planning for post-flood recovery

FLOOD HAZARD EXPOSURE VULNERABILITY

Flood control works Flood forecasting
Land use management
Structural planning & design • Hydrological models, hydraulic models
• Flood hazard zoning
Maintenance & DTMs
• Spatial planning and land use zoning
Monitoring • Data acquisition networks
• Control of land development planning
Rehabilitation /upgrading Flood warning & emergency response
• Building regulations
Funding • Communications systems
• Property acquisitions
Operations: • Preparedness exercises
• Resettlement
• decision support systems • Decision support systems
• communications systems Post-flood recovery
• data acquisition • Support services: health, counseling
• networks integration with WR • Material support: food, shelter
management & env. management • Infrastructure repairs
Watershed conservation and • Financial assistance & incentives
management • Compensation / flood insurance

INSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION
Partnerships: across sectors of government, between different levels of government,
bilateral, multilateral
Legislation: clarifying mandates Policy: describing what to do
Organizational structure: enhancing coordination Guidelines: how to do it
Training/awareness/capacity building/knowledge exchange Funding