Joint Flood Risks in the Grand River Watershed

Poornima Unnikrishnan (), Kumaraswamy Ponnambalam, Nirupama Agrawal and Fakhri Karray
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Poornima Unnikrishnan: Department of Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Kumaraswamy Ponnambalam: Department of Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Nirupama Agrawal: School of Administrative Studies, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
Fakhri Karray: Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: According to the World Meteorological Organization, since 2000, there has been an increase in global flood-related disasters by 134 percent compared to the previous decades. Efficient flood risk management strategies necessitate a holistic approach to evaluating flood vulnerabilities and risks. Catastrophic losses can occur when the peak flow values in the rivers in a basin coincide. Therefore, estimating the joint flood risks in a region is vital, especially when frequent occurrences of extreme events are experienced. This study focuses on estimating the joint flood risks due to river flow extremes in the Grand River watershed in Canada. For this purpose, the study uses copula analysis to investigate the joint occurrence of extreme river flow events in the Speed and Grand Rivers in the Grand River Watershed in Ontario, Canada. By estimating the joint return period for extreme flows in both rivers, we demonstrate the interdependence of the two river flows and how this interdependence influences the behavior of river flow extreme patterns. Our findings suggest that the interdependence between the two river flows leads to changes in the river flow extreme pattern. Determining the interdependence of floods at multiple locations using state-of-the-art tools will benefit various stakeholders, such as the insurance industry, the disaster management sector, and most importantly, the public.

Keywords: joint flood risks; Grand River watershed; probability analysis; copula; disaster management; Canada (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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