Numerical modelling of the catastrophic flooding of Santa Fe City, Argentina

Abstract

The large plain in the lower basin of the Salado River in west‐central Santa Fe State, Argentina, sustains a prolific agricultural activity vital for the local economy. In April‐May of 2003, the region suffered the most devastating flood on record for the Salado River, triggered by heavy rains in its lower basin. The west side of the State Capital, Santa Fe City, located at the mouth of the Salado River, was suddenly flooded when a protective levee failed. People living in the floodplains near the city, accustomed to coping with floods characterized by slowly rising water, faced a sudden increase up to 4 m of water in a matter of hours. During the flooding of one third of the city, nearly 120,000 people were suddenly displaced from their homes, 23 people died as a direct result of the flood, and other 43 are believed to have died from post‐traumatic distress. This work presents a numerical reconstruction of the event, emphasizing the chain of miss‐management decisions made over the years that have a share in the worst environmental disaster of Argentina's recent history.

Keywords:

• Levee‐break
• Dam‐break
• Floodwall failure
• Flood‐wave propagation
• Flooding and drying
• Shallow water flows