Flood Warning, Forecasting and Emergency Response

Recent flood events in Europe, the USA and elsewhere have shown the devastating impact that flooding can have on people and property. Flood warning and forecasting systems provide a well-established way to help to reduce the effects of flooding by allowing people to be evacuated from areas at risk, and for measures to be taken to reduce damage to property. With sufficient warning, temporary defences (sandbags, flood gates etc) can also be installed, and river control structures operated to mitigate the effects of flooding.

Many countries and local authorities now operate some form of flood warning system, and the underlying technology requires knowledge across a range of technical areas, including rainfall and tidal detection systems, river and coastal flood forecasting models, flood warning dissemination systems, and emergency response procedures.

This book provides a comprehensive account of the flood forecasting, warning and emergency response process, including techniques for predicting the development of flood events, and for issuing appropriate warnings. Related topics, such as telemetry and information systems, and flood warning economics, are also discussed. For perhaps the first time, this book brings together in a single volume the many strands of this interesting multidisciplinary topic, and will serve as a reference for researchers, policy makers and engineers. The material on meteorological, hydrological and coastal modelling and monitoring may also be of interest to a wider audience.

First book providing a comprehensive summary of various topics in flood warning, forecasting and emergency response procedures Based on up-to-date research and experience gained from the implementation of operational flood forecasting and warning systems in the UK and overseas New areas are discussed, such as the use of probabilistic flood forecasts and Decision Support Systems to optimize emergency response, and techniques for monitoring and assessing the performance of a flood warning service

Auteur

The author K. Sene has wide practical experience in the implementation of operational flood warning and forecasting systems, together with research experience in hydrology, meteorology and information systems. He has also played a leading role in developing several best practice guidelines on flood forecasting techniques for use by engineers and policy makers.

Texte du rabat

This book provides a comprehensive account of flood warning, forecasting and emergency response processes, including techniques for predicting the development of flood events and for issuing appropriate warnings. Topics such as telemetry and information systems, flood warning economics, and river and coastal monitoring are also discussed. This book brings together many aspects of this interesting multidisciplinary topic and will serve as a valuable reference for researchers, policy makers and engineers.

Kevin Sene is a civil engineer and researcher whose experience includes developing flood warning and forecasting investment strategies, writing best practice guidelines in flood forecasting, and designing operational systems. With more than 20 years of experience, he has published some 45 scientific and conference papers on topics in hydrology, hydrometeorology and hydraulics.

Contenu
Flood Warning.- Detection.- Thresholds.- Dissemination.- Flood Forecasting.- General Principles.- Rivers.- Coasts.- Selected Applications.- Emergency Response.- Preparedness.- Response.- Review.