Integrated flood studies in Sicily: a hydro-geomorphological approach

Abstract

The present study originates from the need to investigate and monitor rivers in order to manage and mitigate fluvial dynamics and prevent flood adverse effects. The aim is to develop an integrated flood risk management procedure that properly incorporates safety and quality issues, in accordance respectively with Flood Directive and Water Framework Directive (WFD). Flood inundation models (2-D) were used to develop flood inundation maps that takes into account uncertainty related to modeling process and hazards related to channel dynamics were investigated. Two survey and classification tools, recently developed in the IDRAIM methodology, were tested: the 2 Morphological Dynamics Index (MDI) and the Event's Dynamics Classification (EDC). These latter tools are required for integrating the standard hydraulic analyses used for flood mapping and, therefore, for obtaining an overall more robust and reliable flood risk assessment.Hydraulic simulations and applications of morphological indexes were applied on two different rivers located in Sicily: a highly controlled river, Arena river, and a more dynamic gravel-bed river, Tempio river. Specifically, the indexes were used to identify portions of river interested by morphologic variability. Based on obtained results, interventions addressed to mitigate fluvial dynamics and prevent flood adverse effects were designed.