Improving Practice of Flood Shelter Implementation in Alluvial River Floodplain With Hydro-Morphological Analysis

Abstract

Flood shelter is widely used as a flood-proofing measure in floodplain areas. However, the practice of flood shelter implementation lacks proper planning, design, and construction. This study was undertaken to identify such gaps and bridge them through a case study and pilot of selected shelters in Bangladesh. An interdisciplinary approach comprising both quantitative hydrologic-hydraulic analysis and qualitative participatory social appraisal was followed in the study. The findings revealed that design flood levels were under-estimated, macro-stability of shelter sites were not assessed, and water velocity was not considered in shelter implementation. Based on an assessment of macro-stability of the chars, flood frequency and flow velocity through hydro-dynamic simulation with the HEC-RAS model, two shelters were redesigned and promoted as model shelters which performed well in a subsequent flood. The approach followed in this study can be replicated for shelter implementation in any riverine char environment for better outcome.

Effectiveness of UAV‐based DTM and satellite‐based DEMs for local‐level flood modeling in Jamuna floodplain

“…Many communities reside in the unprotected, low‐lying, riverside floodplains, which are flooded by the river water overtopping the banks. Such communities are exposed and vulnerable even to the flood events associated with low return periods (Haque et al, 2019; Nahin et al, 2022). Due to climate change, land use change and riverbed siltation, flood events are becoming increasingly unpredictable and severe.…”