Flood Risk Management

In the last decades, the reported damages caused by natural hazards increased tremendously. Flood risk management aims to prevent the loss of properties, assets and life caused by floods. The MOOCs focus is on aspects of flood risk management, forecasting and protection measures. You will learn which concepts exist to protect people from floods having a look at the catchment, the rivers and the settlements at risk. Following the so-called flood risk cycle, prevention, protection and preparation measures are shown.

With a focus on Europe, this course aims to summarize the tasks needed to implement the EU Floods Directive. To forecast a flood, hydrological modelling is needed. You will gain understanding about the difficulties of hydrological modelling in flood forecasts as well as about the sources and quantities of uncertainties in the flood chain. Advantages and disadvantages of different hydrodynamic model types are clarified. Furthermore, it is explained how flood hazard and flood risk maps can be evaluated concerning their uncertainties.

To prevent the loss of properties or assets, structural as well as non-structural flood protection measures are implemented. These are outlined with practice examples from rural and urban sites. Finally, you learn about the importance of raising risk awareness within a community and different types of precaution. This will help you learning how to create your own ideas and measures to prevent risks related to floods.

This course is for anyone interested in flood risk management. It offers basic chapters as well as possibilities for a deeper view.

Week 1: Introduction to Flood Risk Management

• Introduction flood risk management
• Tasks of the implementation of the EU Flood Risk Management Directive
• Flood hazard and flood risk maps

Week 2: Uncertainties of Flood Modelling

• Introduction to hydrological modelling
• Uncertainties in precipitation inputs
• Uncertainties in runoff calculation in hydrological models
• Hydrodynamic models
• Uncertainties in hydrodynamic modelling

Week 3: Practice Examples for Flood Protection I

• A global perspective of flood risk management
• Rural measures for flood protection

Week 4: Practice Examples for Flood Protection II

• Urban measures for flood protection
• Flood protection strategies
• Practice example of the city Rosenheim, Germany

Week 5: Mobile Flood Protection Measures

• Introduction to mobile flood protection
• Mobile flood protection units and serious gaming
• Real life problems

Week 6: Flood Risk Audit and Special Issues

• Use of flood risk audits
• Integration of single measures into city concepts 

Week 7: Evaluation of the Course