Recent Innovations in Flood Hazard Modelling Over Large Data Sparse Regions

Abstract

This opinion piece summarises recent progress in the development of global flood models (GFMs) in support of flood impact modelling and identifies potential areas for model improvement over the next 5–10 years. In many parts of the world, flood hazard data are absent or lack the accuracy and precision required for most practical applications, including climate change impact assessment. With the hydrological cycle expected to intensify due to climate change, better modelling of flood hazard is needed as a prerequisite to understanding how flood risk might change in the future with climate. The past decade has seen substantial advances in the modelling of flood inundation in data scarce areas along with the emergence of global flood models that could form the foundation of global impact assessments. In summarising these advances, four key themes emerge linked to topography, extreme flow estimation, river network parameterisation and numerical modelling of inundation. Progress in each of these themes will be needed to deliver the next generation of global flood hazard data.