Diagnosis of Flood Risk in South Bay Area Using Hydrology Analysis

Abstract

The south part of the San Francisco Bay Area is home to millions of people. Climate change is one of the main environmental issues in California. Sea level rise has been observed globally, forcing local municipalities and regions to develop adaptive strategies. In this study, sea level rise inundation areas were diagnosed on several levels over the next 50 years using topographic and geographical information, including hydrology analysis. A high rate of precipitation has been observed in the southwest Bay Area for the past five years where rainfall, as an extreme natural event, caused flash flooding. The flow direction is towards the City of San Jose which faces a high risk of urban flooding. In this study, a series of thematic maps were created to represent the flooding risk.