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Do Remote Sensing Mapping Practices Adequately Address Localized Flooding? A Critical Overview

Springer Science Reviews volume 5, pages 1–17 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Local-scale flooding (LSF) is usually characterized by much less severe damage compared to extreme flood events; however, it does have marked local environmental influence, especially when it is characterized by regular and frequent occurrence and long duration. Knowledge about the spatial extent of flood-prone areas is essential for flood risk and land management purposes, spatial planning, or emergency response. Flood mapping procedures have been supported by remote sensing for several decades, and progress in remote sensing technology and image processing over the last two decades has made flood extent analysis possible at an unprecedented level of detail. Here we provide an overview of applications of remote sensing technologies for analyzing the extent of flood events and discuss their applicability for LSF. We report on applications of data from the optical visible and reflective infrared spectrum, active microwave spectrum, and airborne laser scanning technology. Additionally, applications of elevation data supporting flood extent mapping are reviewed. The review reveals that in general remote sensing techniques and data types are likely to have similar capabilities and limitations for analyzing LSF as they have for extreme floods. However, data from many current remote sensing sensors are inadequate for LSF analysis, since very high spatial resolution data are required for mapping localized flooding. Finally, airborne laser scanning is found to be an emerging and promising technology in flood-related water surface analysis.

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Fig. 1
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Fig. 3

COSMO-SkyMed Image ©ASI. All rights reserved

Fig. 4

By courtesy of earthobservatory.nasa.gov

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Acknowledgements

The funding of this work for Radosław Malinowski, Geoff Groom and Goswin Heckrath, by a research grant from the Danish AgriFish Agency is gratefully acknowledged (Grant Number: 923063). Wolfgang Schwanghart acknowledges the support by the Potsdam Research Cluster for Georisk Analysis, Environmental Change and Sustainability (PROGRESS) for his contribution to this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, Postboks 50, 8830, Tjele, Denmark

    Radek Malinowski & Goswin Heckrath

  2. Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Grenaavej 14, 8410, Roende, Denmark

    Geoffrey B. Groom

  3. Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany

    Wolfgang Schwanghart

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  1. Radek Malinowski
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Malinowski, R., Groom, G.B., Heckrath, G. et al. Do Remote Sensing Mapping Practices Adequately Address Localized Flooding? A Critical Overview. Springer Science Reviews 5, 1–17 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40362-017-0043-8

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Keywords

  • Flood
  • Inundation
  • Landsat
  • LiDAR
  • Remote sensing
  • SAR