An Exploratory Optimal Framework of Low Impact Development Measures Spatial Arrangement based on Source Tracking for Urban Flood Mitigation

Abstract

Urban areas are vulnerable to flooding as a result of climate change and population growth and thus rainstorm-induced flood losses are becoming increasingly severe. Low impact development (LID) measures are a storm management technique designed for controlling runoff in urban areas, which is critical for solving urban flood hazard. Therefore, this study developed an exploratory simulation-optimization framework for the spatial arrangement of LID measures. The proposed framework begins by applying a numerical model to simulate hydrological and hydrodynamic processes during a storm event, and the urban flood model coupled with the source tracking method was then used to identify the flood source areas. Next, based on source tracking data, the LID investment in each subcatchment was determined using the inundation volume contribution ratio of the flood source area (where most of the investment is required) to the flood hazard area (where most of the flooding occurs). Finally, the resiliency and sustainability of different LID scenarios were evaluated using several different storm events in order to provide suggestions for flooding predictions and the decision-making process. The results of this study emphasized the importance of flood source control. Furthermore, to quantitatively evaluate the impact of inundation volume transport between subcatchments on the effectiveness of LID measures, a regional relevance index (RI) was proposed to analyze the spatial connectivity between different regions. The simulation-optimization framework was applied to Haikou City, China, wherein the results indicated that LID measures in a spatial arrangement based on the source tracking method are a robust and resilient solution to flood mitigation. This study demonstrates the novelty of combining the source tracking method and highlights the spatial connectivity between flood source areas and flood hazard areas. Further, the framework acts as a strategic tool for the effective spatial arrangement design of LID measures.

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