A Citizen-Contributed GIS Approach for Evaluating the Impacts of Land Use on Hurricane-Harvey-Induced Flooding in Houston Area

Di Yang, Anni Yang, Han Qiu, Yao Zhou, Hannah Herrero, Chiung-Shiuan Fu, Qiang Yu and Jingyin Tang
Additional contact information
Di Yang: Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Anni Yang: Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Han Qiu: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Yao Zhou: School of Public Administration, National Center for Integrated Coastal Research, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
Hannah Herrero: Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Chiung-Shiuan Fu: Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Qiang Yu: Beijing Key Laboratory of Precision Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing100083, China
Jingyin Tang: The Weather Company, IBM, Atlanta, GA 30319, USA

Land, 2019, vol. 8, issue 2, 1-19

Abstract: Hurricane Harvey (2017) caused widespread flash flooding by extremely heavy rainfall and resulted in tremendous damage, including 82 fatalities and huge economic loss in the Houston, Texas area. To reduce hazards, loss, and to improve urban resilience, it is important to understand the factors that influence the occurrence of flooding events. People rely on natural resources and different land uses to reduce the severity of flood impacts and mitigate the risk. In this study, we focused the impacts of land use on Hurricane-Harvey-induced flooding inside and outside the Houston city center. With the recent trend that more citizen scientists serve in delivering information about natural disaster response, local residents in Houston areas participated in delineating the flooded areas in Hurricane Harvey. The flooding information used here generated a published map with citizen-contributed flooding data. A regional model framework with spatial autocovariates was employed to understand those interactions. Different land use patterns and types affected the potential of flooding events differently inside and outside Houston’s city center. Explicitly, we found agricultural and open space were associated with high risk of flooding outside the city center, industrial lands increased the high risk of flooding in city center, and residential areas reduced the potential of flooding both inside and outside the city center. The results can assist with future land use strategy in Houston and other areas, and mitigate potential flash flooding. This study also highlighted the contribution of citizen science to responses to natural hazards.

Keywords: land use; Hurricane Harvey; flooding; citizen science; spatial model; Houston (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:8:y:2019:i:2:p:25-:d:201454

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