An Integrated Flood Impact Assessment Framework for Mitigation and Decision Support Systems

Abstract

Flooding is one of the most prevalent types of natural disasters affecting communities worldwide. It is expected to persist with increasing magnitude and frequency due to climate change, leading to direct and indirect negative consequences. The flood impact assessment is considered as a critical component of flood risk management strategies, such as benefit-cost analysis for mitigation planning. However, it is a complicated procedure and requires significant resources and skills, posing challenges for communities with limited resources. This dissertation investigates the socioeconomic impacts of flooding on diverse aspects (e.g., population, infrastructure) and geospatial scales in the State of Iowa. The study also conducts a thorough benefit-cost analysis of flood mitigation applications (e.g., elevation, wet floodproofing) and develops accessible web-based analytical systems to communicate flood-related adverse effects, promote mitigation practices, and assist with mitigation decisions. The findings reveal that Iowa's communities and counties are unequally impacted by flooding and identify economically feasible flood mitigation measures at the community-level. Also, the web-based applications developed in this study facilitate the dissemination of flood-related information to various stakeholders, including the public, without requiring additional software installation on the user's local workstation. This research aimed to improve understanding of flood impacts, identify vulnerable areas, assess and prioritize mitigation initiatives, and involve various stakeholders in flood risk management. The approach can also be implemented in diverse geographic scales, leading to evidence-based decision-making in flood risk management.