Exploring the Potential of SRTM Topography and Radar Altimetry to Support Flood Propagation Modeling: Danube Case Study
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 20, Issue 2
Abstract
Flood inundation modeling is one of the essential steps in flood hazard mapping. However, the desirable input and calibration data for model building and evaluation are not sufficient or unavailable in many rivers and floodplains of the world. A potential opportunity to fill this gap is offered nowadays by global earth observation data, which can be obtained freely (or at low cost), such as the shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM) and radar altimetry. However, the actual usefulness of these data is still poorly investigated. This study attempts to assess the value of SRTM topography and radar altimetry in supporting flood-level predictions in data-poor areas. To this end, a hydraulic model of a 150-km reach of the Danube River was built by using SRTM topography as input data and radar altimetry of the 2006 flood event as calibration data. The model was then used to simulate the 2007 flood event and evaluated against water levels measured in four stream gauge stations. Model evaluation allows the investigation of the usefulness and limitations of SRTM topography and radar altimetry in supporting hydraulic modeling of floods.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank VITUKI Environment and Water Management Research Institute (Budapest, Hungary) for providing useful input data. We also acknowledge the European FP7 Project KULTURisk (Grant Agreement No. 265280) that provided partial funding for Giuliano Di Baldassarre and Kun Yan.
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Published In
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 20 • Issue 2 • February 2015
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 22, 2013
Accepted: May 1, 2014
Published online: Aug 5, 2014
Discussion open until: Jan 5, 2015
Published in print: Feb 1, 2015
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