Etat des connaissances récentes acquises sur les crues éclair en Europe: bilan du projet de recherches européen HYDRATE (2006-2010)

Abstract

Flash floods, sudden floods induced by extremely heavy rain events, are among the most destructive natural hazards in Europe and over the world, but remain poorly documented and understood. The European research project HYDRATE aimed at increasing the existing knowledge through the collation of information on flash floods at the European scale and the development and promotion of a post-event survey methodology suited to extreme flood events having affected poorly gauged watersheds. The project provided new data concerning the rainfall-runoff dynamics of watersheds exposed to intense rainfall events and led to the elaboration of a first European atlas of flash floods. Some recommendations for the estimation of the discharges of extreme events on small streams were also formulated based on the experience gained through the conducted post-event field studies. © Société Hydrotechnique de France, 2013.