Mapping the flood hazard potential of small watercourses in a mountain river basin

Abstract

This study presents a methodological approach for the mapping of the flood hazard potential of small watercourses, based on their hydromorphological attributes, on the example of a mountain river basin in Slovakia. The flood hazard of a watercourse is understood more comprehensively, providing a set of influencing variables and their attributes that affect the flood hazard. The proposed procedure consists of several steps ranging from the selection of stream variables influencing the flood hazard potential to the evaluation of the attributes of the variables in terms of their impacts on the flood hazard and the determination of a flood hazard index. The mapping divides the watercourse into reaches that differ by their level of flood hazard potential. This enables us to identify those river reaches that are critical in terms of flood hazard and that require management interventions. The results are interpreted in the context of cadastral areas through which the watercourses flow, which is particularly important for local authorities.