FLOOD RISK ASSESSMENT USING AN INTEGRATED HYDROLOGICAL AND HYDRAULIC MODELING APPROACH - A CASE-STUDY

This paper describes an integrated hydrological and hydraulic modellin g approach for the risk assessment of a flood-prone area and its appli cation to analysing the effects of extreme flood events on the Montalt o di Castro thermoelectric power plant. The approach is based on four major steps, The first step entails a detailed analysis of available c ritical events as well the collection of hydro-meteorological and cart ographic data to perform a statistical evaluation of extreme rainfall events and an estimation of the probable maximum precipitation (PMP). The second step involves the calibration of a rainfall-runoff model fo r the upper catchment area based on the data observed during a recent flood event. The third step involves the calibration of a two-dimensio nal hydraulic model for simulating the flood plain inundation using th e previously reconstructed runoff and a comparison of the results with the maximum flood levels observed during the same event. The fourth a nd final step concerns the simulation by the two-dimensional hydraulic model of the flood wave obtained via the rainfall-runoff model using the extreme and PMP values of rain defined in the first step. The resu lts of this approach appear to be extremely useful and easily transfer able to other areas.