Post-Evaluation of Flood Hazards Induced by Former Artificial Interventions along a Coastal Mediterranean Settlement
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 21, Issue 10
Abstract
Inappropriate artificial activities can escalate the frequency, the intensity, and the magnitude of floods and aggravate their aftermath. Additionally, urban sprawl is responsible for increasing the manifestation of flood events in coastal areas. In this study, the effects of diachronically formulated artificial stream-channel modifications and registered urban expansion on flood hazards were quantified. Initially, land-use changes were monitored over time and a detailed field topographic survey was performed. The peak discharge for a 50-year return period storm event was found to be equal to , as computed by the rational method. A steady flow analysis with a mixed flow regime was then performed so as to compute the water velocity and surface runoff elevation at 49 discrete cross sections for the years of 1945, 1981, and 2009, whereas the inundation extent was found equal to 12,208, 10,519, and for the same years by implementing another model. Although the water level and inundation extent were respectively reduced by 5.5 and 9.2% in 2009 compared with that in 1981, more houses had been constructed on the riverbed, and thus the flood hazard was greater in 2009 than in 1981. Despite the fact that the flood area was larger by 16.1% in 1945 compared with 1981, the flood hazards were diminished in 1945 because the households were settled more than 78 m away from the stream centerline. Thus, in 1945, the stream would have successfully sustained flood events even with a 50-year recurrence period.
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Acknowledgments
D. Myronidis would like to thank the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki research committee for the financial support of this research under the program “Supporting new lecturer rank scientists.” In this research, D. Myronidis captured land-use evolution and performed hydraulic modeling and floodplain mapping, D. Stathis implemented the rational method, and M. Sapountzis was responsible for the field topographic survey. The authors are also grateful to the two anonymous reviewers and the editor for their constructive comments and suggestions that helped us to improve the quality this work.
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Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 21 • Issue 10 • October 2016
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© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 9, 2016
Accepted: Mar 21, 2016
Published online: May 20, 2016
Published in print: Oct 1, 2016
Discussion open until: Oct 20, 2016
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