Application of Backpack-Mounted Mobile Mapping System and Rainfall–Runoff–Inundation Model for Flash Flood Analysis

Abstract

Satellite remote sensing has been used effectively to estimate flood inundation extents in large river basins. In the case of flash floods in mountainous catchments, however, it is difficult to use remote sensing information. To compensate for this situation, detailed rainfall–runoff and flood inundation models have been utilized. Regardless of the recent technological advances in simulations, there has been a significant lack of data for validating such models, particularly with respect to local flood inundation depths. To estimate flood inundation depths, this study proposes using a backpack-mounted mobile mapping system (MMS) for post-flood surveys. Our case study in Northern Kyushu Island, which was affected by devastating flash floods in July 2017, suggests that the MMS can be used to estimate the inundation depth with an accuracy of 0.14 m. Furthermore, the landform change due to deposition of sediments could be estimated by the MMS survey. By taking into consideration the change of topography, the rainfall–runoff–inundation (RRI) model could reasonably reproduce the flood inundation compared with the MMS measurements. Overall, this study demonstrates the effective application of the MMS and RRI model for flash flood analysis in mountainous river catchments.

Improving Flood Detection and Monitoring through Remote Sensing

“…The authors of [2] describe an experiment in retrieving field information about the effects of a flash flood that occurred in Japan in 2017 by using backpack-mounted equipment consisting of a series of optical cameras, a laser scanner, a GNSS receiver, and an IMU unit. They also realized a DEM of a strip of terrain around the water course after the event and compared it to one that was previously available.…”

Three‐dimensional reconstruction of fluvial surface sedimentology and topography using personal mobile laser scanning

“…The scanning trajectory was determined to ensure the scanners had line of sight across all areas of the complex terrain. The backpack system has previously been demonstrated for the application of mapping flood inundation (Sayama et al, 2019).…”

Assessment of DSMs Using Backpack-Mounted Systems and Drone Techniques to Characterise Ancient Underground Cellars in the Duero Basin (Spain)

“…The points are distributed to cover the entire area of characterisation and possible collapses on the surface Leica Pegasus Backpack allows the acquisition of LiDAR and image data with precise positioning of outdoor and indoor data [18] in a system that is easily transportable by one person. This makes this type of equipment very useful in environments with limited space, underground environments, [20] and in areas with dense vegetation, as well as for managing data on disasters [56] and documenting industrial facilities. It offers the option of including external sensors such as GPR equipment, thermal cameras, noise and pollution sensor, etc., assisted by a flash module for working in conditions of low light.…”