Panta Rhei benchmark dataset: socio-hydrological data of paired events of floods and droughts

Abstract

Abstract. As the adverse impacts of hydrological extremes increase in many regions of the world, a better understanding of the drivers of changes in risk and impacts is essential for effective flood and drought risk management and climate adaptation. However, there is currently a lack of comprehensive, empirical data about the processes, interactions, and feedbacks in complex human–water systems leading to flood and drought impacts. Here we present a benchmark dataset containing socio-hydrological data of paired events, i.e. two floods or two droughts that occurred in the same area. The 45 paired events occurred in 42 different study areas and cover a wide range of socio-economic and hydro-climatic conditions. The dataset is unique in covering both floods and droughts, in the number of cases assessed and in the quantity of socio-hydrological data. The benchmark dataset comprises (1) detailed review-style reports about the events and key processes between the two events of a pair; (2) the key data table containing variables that assess the indicators which characterize management shortcomings, hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and impacts of all events; and (3) a table of the indicators of change that indicate the differences between the first and second event of a pair. The advantages of the dataset are that it enables comparative analyses across all the paired events based on the indicators of change and allows for detailed context- and location-specific assessments based on the extensive data and reports of the individual study areas. The dataset can be used by the scientific community for exploratory data analyses, e.g. focused on causal links between risk management; changes in hazard, exposure and vulnerability; and flood or drought impacts. The data can also be used for the development, calibration, and validation of socio-hydrological models. The dataset is available to the public through the GFZ Data Services (Kreibich et al., 2023, https://doi.org/10.5880/GFZ.4.4.2023.001).

Place for sociohydrology in sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture: Review and ways forward

“…Smallholder farmers can be particularly vulnerable, having limited financial capital, debt cycles and dependence on rainfed agriculture. While climate trends are a challenge for average crop yields and their stability, and hence food security, the impact and extent of such trends and extremes can be exacerbated or alleviated by human decisions and management (Kreibich et al, 2023).…”

Uncovering the Dynamics of Multi‐Sector Impacts of Hydrological Extremes: A Methods Overview

“…(2020), and Kreibich et al. (2023). Emerging impact assessment methods that use text, digital traces, new sensors, and citizen science data are potential ways forward.…”

“…Thus, systematic efforts must be made to collect drought and flood impact data. Recent initiatives that are moving in this direction include the work by CEMHS (2023), Kellermann et al (2020), andKreibich et al (2023). Emerging impact assessment methods that use text, digital traces, new sensors, and citizen science data are potential ways forward.…”

“…As a result, a holistic understanding of all sectors and systems affected is missing. Exceptions include initiatives such as the Panta Rhei benchmark data set, which includes impact information on 93 floods and droughts worldwide (Kreibich et al., 2023). Also worth mentioning are the Spatial Hazard Event and Loss Database for the United States (SHEDLUS) (CEMHS, 2023) and the European HOWAS21 database (Kellermann et al., 2020), which includes detailed data on objects affected by floods.…”

“…While CCI insights can guide equitable strategies, there is a risk of unintended consequences. For example, existing impact databases often overrepresent Europe and the United States (e.g., Kreibich et al., 2023; Papagiannaki et al., 2022), leading to an incomplete understanding of CCI patterns in the Global South. Likewise, when using impact data sets derived from newspaper articles (e.g., de Brito et al., 2020; Sodoge, Kuhlicke, & de Brito, 2023; Stahl et al., 2016), minority perspectives can be marginalized as media representations often prioritize the concerns of powerful groups (Orgad, 2012).…”