Flood mapping in the Flanders Region of Belgium is typically performed by a combination of government agencies, research institutions, and universities.

The process often involves the use of various techniques such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping, and hydrological modeling.

One of the key organizations involved in flood mapping in Flanders is the Flemish Environment Agency (Vlaamse Milieumaatschappij or VMM). They are responsible for the monitoring and managing of the environment in Flanders, which includes flood risk management. They use advanced technology and data analysis to create flood risk maps.

The Department of Mobility and Public Works (MOW) of the Flemish government also plays a significant role in flood management and mapping. They are responsible for waterways, watercourses, and coastal areas, and they use this responsibility to help manage flood risk.

In terms of scientific research, several universities in Flanders are involved in flood-related studies. For instance, the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at KU Leuven conducts research on flood risk assessment and management. Similarly, the University of Antwerp and Ghent University also contribute to flood research. However, the specific scientists involved in flood mapping can vary depending on the project, and it would be challenging to name them all here. If you're interested in the work of specific scientists, I would recommend looking at research papers on flood mapping in Flanders, as these will typically list the scientists involved.

I am not able to provide real-time or up-to-date information on specific individuals and their work. However, I can tell you that Patrick Willems is a professor at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at KU Leuven (formerly known as Catholic University of Leuven) and he has been involved in various research projects related to hydrology, water resources management, and flood risk assessment.

While I don't have specific details about how he performed flood mapping for Flanders, his work likely involved the use of advanced hydrological modeling, GIS mapping, and possibly remote sensing techniques. He may have also collaborated with other researchers and government agencies, such as the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) and the Department of Mobility and Public Works (MOW), to gather data and create accurate flood maps.

His research has contributed to the development of flood risk maps, which are used by the Flemish government (and abroad) to identify areas at risk of flooding, develop flood management strategies, and inform the public about flood risk. A new (building) legislation has been developed based on his flood mapping work.

To get more detailed and accurate information about his specific work on flood mapping, I would recommend looking at his research publications or contacting him or his department (Applied Sciences) directly.

You need a digital elevation model (DEM) of the region of about 12cm precision. Then, you use GIS hydro modeling to get the water flow and the accumulated water flow. Then, you need a time series of precipitation data to calculate extreme flood occasions, such as 100-year floods, 500-year floods, 1000-year floods, etc. Then, you create a scenario for each occasion, comprising a flood map with all kinds of impacts in the region and a design of public works to minimize the impacts and calculate the pertinent costs. Consequently, you approach the regional stakeholders and present the various scenarios, asking through a questionnaire what they want or negotiating what they want. Finally, you complete the study in the area based on the optimum scenario in terms of popularity, safety, and costs, and you present it for funding.

To conduct flood mapping assessments using a blend of topography and development alignment to pinpoint flood-prone areas, follow these steps:

By integrating topographic data with development alignment and conducting thorough flood mapping assessments, you can effectively identify flood-prone locations and implement targeted strategies to mitigate flood risk and enhance community resilience.

Flood risk mapping can be achieved through the integration of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and GIS techniques, where thematic layers such as slope, distance to active stream, elevation, drainage density, rainfall, population density, and land use-land cover are analyzed and integrated to produce flood risk maps. The flood extent is created using a change detection approach on Sentinel-1 (SAR) data. To assess the number of potentially exposed people, affected cropland and urban areas, additional datasets will be intersected with the derived flood extent layer and visualized.The process includes gathering data establishing flood risk standards using GIS software to study topography evaluating development alignment simulating flood scenarios verifying with data crafting flood hazard maps sharing findings, with stakeholders and regularly updating and refining the maps in response to changing. The raster maps, including soil type, rainfall, land use, slope, aspect, elevation, and distance to the stream, were utilized as the foundation for the analysis. The flood risk map generated from this analysis reveals five risk zones that is very high, high, moderate, low, and very low-risk zones. Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) Following the building of a pairwise comparison matrix, we were able to obtain a relative significance of relevant factors using the AHP. The weight of each parameter zone is determined once it has been classified according to its relative importance.

Foster Tinashe

Rk Naresh

W.K.N.C. Withanage

John Hatzopoulos

Frank Veroustraete

Flood mapping assessment leveraging a combination of topography and development alignment presents a robust approach to identifying flood-prone locations. By integrating topographic data, including elevation, slope, and hydrological features, with information on urban development patterns such as land use, infrastructure, and population density, a comprehensive understanding of flood vulnerability can be achieved. High-resolution elevation models facilitate the delineation of floodplains and drainage networks, enabling the identification of areas susceptible to inundation. Additionally, analyzing the alignment of urban development with natural drainage pathways and low-lying areas provides insights into areas at heightened risk of flooding due to factors like impervious surfaces, inadequate drainage infrastructure, and encroachment into flood-prone zones. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies offer valuable tools for integrating and analyzing these diverse datasets, enabling the creation of detailed flood hazard maps. By employing this integrated approach, planners, policymakers, and emergency responders can prioritize mitigation measures, land use planning, and infrastructure investments to enhance resilience and reduce the impact of flooding on communities and infrastructure.

Thanks Rohit,

I add a few case examples with a link so that folks can have an idea how flooding risk is mapped. In Belgium (Flanders region) a juridical approach has been developed to regulate housing out of flood prone areas! It is pretty new, but a necessity because some floods have been devastating in Belgium. Moreover, coastal areas are monitored continuously with respect to sand and silt shifts along the coast and in the dune area's as a (natural) protection against heavy storms (and storm surges) and sea level rise!

It's a question of staying ahead of catastrophe's.

Link: https://www.hydroscan.eu/en/references/reference-case-all-of-flanders/?lid=8168

#NoMercyCV

Flood mapping assessment combines topography and development data to identify areas susceptible to flooding. Here's a breakdown of the process:

Data Collection:

Data Processing and Analysis:

Tools and Techniques:

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS): GIS software like ArcGIS or QGIS are ideal for data visualization, analysis, and flood map creation.
• Remote Sensing: Satellite imagery analysis can be used to identify recent flood events and update flood maps.

Additional Considerations:

• Historical Flood Data: If available, incorporating past flood events into the analysis improves the accuracy of flood risk prediction.
• Climate Change Impact: Consider potential changes in precipitation patterns due to climate change for long-term flood risk assessment.

By following these steps and using the appropriate tools, you can conduct a flood mapping assessment that considers both topography and development patterns. This information is crucial for flood risk management, informing land-use planning, and implementing mitigation strategies to protect communities from future floods.