Abstract

Integrating Map to Map into Climate Change Flood Risk Mapping
Track: Water Resources
Authors: Michael Colbert, Dean Djokic, Amir Khan

In 1980s, flood risk mapping was undertaken for many communities with known and extensive flooding events in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. When new flood risk mapping studies was undertaken in 2008 and 2010, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador adopted a new approach aimed at integrating GIS and climate change throughout the process. These flood risk mapping studies were the first in Canada to include climate change predictions. An attempt was made to use ArcHydro, HEC-GeoHMS and HEC-GeoRAS along with remote sensing and LiDAR mapping. Initial modelling results indicated a greater need for consistency in generating climate change flood risk maps. Consequently, a Map to Map workflow was developed by ESRI for Newfoundland and Labrador and is now a required component of these climate change flood risk studies. The presentation provides an overview of these studies, the challenges encountered, the successes and the path forward.