Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Introduction

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Flash Floods

  • 2505 Accesses

Abstract

Flash floods are often characterized as rapidly developing events which leave little time for people to take actions to reduce damage to property and the risk to life. Whilst the main cause is usually heavy rainfall, flooding can also arise from ice jams in rivers, dam or levee breaks, and surface drainage issues in urban areas. Debris flows are another closely related hazard. To help to reduce the risk, flood warning systems are widely used, although with a key challenge being the short time available to interpret and act upon rainfall, river and other observations. However, the lead-time can potentially be increased by using rainfall and flood forecasts and making other stages in the warning process more efficient. In some cases, it is also possible to start flood fighting activities to reduce the extent of flooding. This chapter presents an introduction to these topics and reviews some of the definitions of flash floods.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abair J, Carnahan P, Grigsby A, Kowalkowski R, Racz I, Savage J, Slayton T, Wild R (1992) Ice & Water: the Flood of 1992 – Montpelier. Ice and Water Committee, Vermont http://www.montpelier-vt.org/community/351/Flood-of-1992.html

    Google Scholar 

  • ACTIF (2004) Some research needs for river flood forecasting in FP6. Achieving Technological Innovation in Flood Forecasting. European Commission Project EVK1-CT-2002-80014. http://www.actif-ec.net/documents/ACTIFResearchNeedsfor%20FP6V1.4.pdf

  • Anquetin S, Ducrocq V, Braud I, Creutin J-D (2009) Hydrometeorological modelling for flash flood areas: the case of the 2002 Gard event in France. J Flood Risk Manag 2:101–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • APFM (2006) Social aspects and stakeholder involvement in integrated flood management. WMO/GWP Associated Programme on Flood Management, Technical Document No. 4, Flood Management Policy Series, WMO-No. 1008, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • ASCE (2007) The New Orleans hurricane protection system: what went wrong and why. Report by the American Society of Civil Engineers Hurricane Katrina External Review Panel. http://www.pubs.asce.org

  • Ashley ST, Ashley WS (2008) Flood fatalities in the United States. J Appl Meteorol Clim 47:805–818

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Australian Government (2009) Manual 21 – Flood Warning. Australian Emergency Manuals Series. Attorney General’s Department, Canberra http://www.em.gov.au/

  • Barredo JI (2007) Major flood disasters in Europe: 1950–2005. Nat Hazards 42(1):125–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basher R (2006) Global early warning systems for natural hazards: systematic and people-centred. Philos Trans R Soc A 364:2167–2182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown CA, Graham WJ (1988) Assessing the threat to life from dam failure. J Am Water Resour Assoc 24(6):1303–1309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chien F-C, Kuo H-C (2011) On the extreme rainfall of Typhoon Morakot (2009). J Geophys Res 116:D05104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cloke HL, Pappenberger F (2009) Ensemble flood forecasting: a review. J Hydrol 375(3–4):613–626

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coulthard T, Frostick L, Hardcastle H, Jones K, Rogers D, Scott M, Bankoff G (2007) The June 2007 floods in Hull. Final Report by the Independent Review Body, 21 November 2007

    Google Scholar 

  • Creutin JD, Borga M, Lutoff C, Scolobig A, Ruin I, Créton-Cazanave L (2009) Catchment dynamics and social response during flash floods: the potential of radar rainfall monitoring for warning procedures. Meteorol Appl 16:115–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DFID (2004) Disaster risk reduction: a development concern: a scoping study on links between disaster risk reduction, poverty and development. Department for International Development, London/Overseas Development Group, Norwich

    Google Scholar 

  • EEA (2010) Mapping the impacts of natural hazards and technological accidents in Europe: an overview of the last decade. European Environment Agency Technical Report No. 13/2010

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (2006) Report on user practices and telecommunications: state of the art. Report SP1-D3, Integrating communications for enhanced environmental risk management and citizen’s safety (CHORIST), European Commission project 033685, Brussels http://www.chorist.eu/

  • FEMA (2006) National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System CRS Credit for Flood Warning Programs 2006. Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC. http://www.fema.gov/

  • Floodsite (2005) Language of risk: project definitions. Floodsite Report T32-04-01, March 2005, Wallingford

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank W (1988) The cause of the Johnstown Flood. ASCE J Civ Eng, 58(5):63–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Gruntfest E (1993) A summary of the state of the art in flash flood warning systems in the United States. In: Nemec J et al (eds) Prediction and perception of natural hazards. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Gruntfest E (1996) What we have learned since the Big Thompson Flood. Proceedings of a meeting ‘Big Thompson Flood, Twenty Years Later’, Fort Collins, CO, 13–15 July 1996

    Google Scholar 

  • Gruntfest E, Handmer J (2001) Dealing with flash floods: contemporary issues and future possibilities. In: Gruntfest E, Handmer J (eds) Coping with flash floods. Kluwer, Dordrecht

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hall AJ (1981) Flash flood forecasting. World Meteorological Organisation, Operational Hydrology Report No. 18, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Handmer J (2002) Flood warning reviews in North America and Europe: statements and silence. Aust J Emerg Manage 17(3):17–24, http://www.em.gov.au/

  • Heil B, Petzold I, Romang H, Hess J (2010) The common information platform for natural hazards in Switzerland. Nat Hazards. doi:10.1007/s11069-010-9606-6

  • Hernando HT (2007) General guidelines for setting-up a community-based flood forecasting and warning system (CBFFWS). Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). http://www.cbffws.webs.com/

  • Hernando HT (2008) General guidelines for setting-up a community-based flood forecasting and warning system (CBBFWS). World Meteorological Organisation, WMO/TD-No. 1472, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Jonkman SN (2005) Global perspectives on loss of human life caused by floods. Nat Hazards 34:151–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelsch M (2001) Hydrometeorological characteristics of flash floods. In: Gruntfest E, Handmer J (eds) Coping with flash floods. Kluwer, Dordrecht

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kerle N, Neussner O (2010) Local flood early warning based on low-tech geoinformatics approaches and community involvement: a solution for rural areas in the Philippines. In: Altan O, Backhaus R, Boccardo P, Zlatanova S (eds) Geoinformation for disaster and risk management examples and best practices. United Nations, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobiyama M, Goerl RF (2007) Quantitative method to distinguish flood and flash flood as disasters. SUISUI Hydrol Res Lett 1:11–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krzysztofowicz R (2001) The case for probabilistic forecasting in hydrology. J Hydrol 249:2–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • League CE, Díaz W, Philips B, Bass EJ, Kloesel K, Gruntfest E, Gessner A (2010) Emergency manager decision-making and tornado warning communication. Meteorol Appl 17(2):163–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li K (2006) A critical issue of flood management in China: flash flood, landslide & mudflow disasters, weakness in defense, & countermeasures. In: Graham R (ed) Proceedings of the 2006 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress, Omaha, 21–25 May 2006

    Google Scholar 

  • Lliboutry L, Arnao BM, Pautre A, Schneider B (1977) Glaciological problems set by the control of dangerous lakes in Cordillera Blanca, Peru. I. Historical failures of morainic dams, their causes and prevention. J Glaciol 18(79):239–254

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopez JL, Courtel F (2008) An integrated approach for debris-flow risk mitigation in the North Coastal Range of Venezuela. In: 13th IWRA World Water Congress, Montpellier, 1–4 Sept 2008

    Google Scholar 

  • Montz BE, Gruntfest E (2002) Flash flood mitigation: recommendations for research and applications. Environ Hazards 4:15–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neussner O (2009) Manual: local flood early warning systems experiences from the Philippines. German Technical Cooperation Environment and Rural Development Program, Leyte. http://www.planet-action.org/

  • Neussner O, Molen A, Fischer T (2009) Using geoinformation technology for the establishment of a local flood early warning system. Second international conference on geoinformation technology for natural disaster management and rehabilitation, Bangkok, 30–31 January 2009. http://e-geoinfo.net/ndm2008/conference.html

  • NOAA (2010) Flash flood early warning system reference guide. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Denver. http://www.meted.ucar.edu

  • NOAA/NWS (2010) Flood Warning Systems Manual. National Weather Service Manual 10-942, Hydrologic Services Program, NWSPD 10-9, National Weather Service, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Office of Science and Technology (2003) Foresight flood and coastal defence project phase 1 technical report drivers, scenarios and work plan. Office of Science and Technology, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker DJ (2003) Designing flood forecasting, warning and response systems from a societal perspective. In: Proceedings international conference on alpine meteorology and meso-alpine programme, Brig, 21 May 2003

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker DJ, Priest SJ (2012) The fallibility of flood warning chains: can Europe’s flood warnings be effective? Water Resour Manage, 26(10):2927–2950

    Google Scholar 

  • Pratt B, Geiger S, Rajasekar M (2010) Susquehanna inundation map viewer: strategies in web-based flood risk management. AWRA 2010 annual conference, Philadelphia, 1–4 Nov 2010

    Google Scholar 

  • Provincial Planning and Development Office (2009) Binahaan River Local Flood Early Warning System Operation Centre. 2007/2008 Annual Report. http://cbffws.webs.com/

  • Romang H, Zappa M, Hilker N, Gerber M, Dufour F, Frede V, Bérod D, Oplatka M, Hegg C, Rhyner J (2011) IFKIS-Hydro: an early warning and information system for floods and debris flows. Nat Hazards, 56:509–527

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaake JC, Hamill TM, Buizza R, Clark M (2007) HEPEX The Hydrological Ensemble Pre-diction Experiment. Bull Am Meteorol Soc, 88(10):1541–1547

    Google Scholar 

  • Sene K (2010) Hydrometeorology: forecasting and applications. Springer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • SRBC (2011) Susquehanna River Basin Commission Information Sheet. Susquehanna River Basin Flood Forecast and Warning System. http://www.susquehannafloodforecasting.org/how-it-works.html

  • Thieken AH, Kreibich H, Müller M, Merz B (2007) Coping with floods: preparedness, response and recovery of flood-affected residents in Germany in 2002. Hydrolog Sci J 52(5):1016–1037

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Commerce (2001) Service assessment. Tropical Storm Allison heavy rains and floods Texas and Louisiana, June 2001

    Google Scholar 

  • UN/ISDR (2006) Guidelines for reducing flood losses. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, United Nations, Geneva. http://www.unisdr.org

  • UN/ISDR (2009) UNISDR terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, United Nations, Geneva. http://www.unisdr.org

  • USACE (1996) Hydrologic aspects of flood warning preparedness programs. Report ETL 1110-2-540, U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • USGS (2006) 1976 Big Thompson Flood, Colorado-Thirty years later. U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Fact Sheet 2006–3095, July 2006

    Google Scholar 

  • World Meteorological Organisation (2001) The role and operation of national hydrological services. WMO/TD No. 1056, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • World Meteorological Organisation (2006a) Preventing and mitigating natural disasters: working together for a safer world. WMO-No. 993, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • World Meteorological Organisation (2006b) Strategy and action plan for the enhancement of cooperation between National Meteorological and Hydrological Services for improved flood forecasting, Geneva, December 2006

    Google Scholar 

  • World Meteorological Organisation (2008) Capacity assessment of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in support of disaster risk reduction: analysis of the 2006 WMO Disaster Risk Reduction Country-level Survey, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • World Meteorological Organisation (2009) Guide to hydrological practices Volume II management of water resources and application of hydrological practices, 6th edn. WMO-No. 168, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • World Meteorological Organisation (2011) Manual on flood forecasting and warning. WMO-No.1072, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. UK Engineering Consultancy, Warrington, UK

    Kevin Sene

Authors
  1. Kevin Sene
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kevin Sene .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sene, K. (2013). Introduction. In: Flash Floods. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5164-4_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation