Hydrological and hydrodynamic modeling for flood damage mitigation in Brahmani–Baitarani River Basin, India

Abstract

Stream flow forecast and its inundation simulations prior to the event are an effective and non-structural method of flood damage mitigation. In this paper, a continuous simulation hydrological and hydrodynamic model was developed for stream flow forecast and for spatial inundation simulation in Brahmani–Baitarani river basin, India. The hydrologic modelling approach includes rainfall-run-off modelling, flow routing, calibration and validation of the model with the field discharge data. CARTOSAT Digital Elevation Model of 30 m resolution, land use/land cover derived from the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS-P6) AWiFS and soil textural data of the study area were used in the modelling to compute topographic and hydraulic parameters. The hydrological model was calibrated with the help of field observed discharge data of 2006 and 2009 and validated with the data of 2008 and 2011. From the results, it is found that computed discharges are very well matching well with the observed discharges. The developed model can provide the stream flow forecast with more than 30 h lead time. Possible flood inundations were simulated using hydrodynamic modelling approach. CARTO Digital Elevation Model of 10 m resolution, landuse and the computed flood hydrographs were used in inundation simulations.

Keywords:

• Hydrological modelling
• hydrodynamic modelling
• flood inundation simulation
• flood damage mitigation

Acknowledgements

The authors sincerely thank Dr V. K. Dadhwal, Director, NRSC, Dr P. G. Diwakar, Deputy Director – RSA-NRSC, Dr V. Venkateshwar Rao, Group Director, WRG-NRSC for providing facilities and constant support. The first author sincerely thanks Dr Deva Pratap and Mrs Y. Navatha, NITW for their support and encouragement.