The Power of Hydrological Data to Enhance Flood Analysis
- Alastair Sheppard
- Feb 28, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 20
Adam Parkes, Technical Director for Flood Products at Jacobs
Introduction
The confidence we have in hydrological analysis is greatly enhanced by the availability and quality of observed hydrological data. High-quality data plays a crucial role in improving the accuracy of hydraulic models, thereby boosting our confidence in model outputs and the decisions we make based on them.
Incorporating high-quality data is essential for enhancing the reliability of flood analysis. The quality of hydrological data directly influences our confidence in flood hydrology estimates, including determining the magnitude of extreme floods, estimating hydrograph shapes, and flood durations, all of which significantly impact estimated flood extents and frequency.
Improvements in Data Accessibility
Over the past 5-10 years, there has been a remarkable improvement in the accessibility and quality of hydrological data. We’ve made significant progress from relying on methods such as receiving data on CD-ROMs or through annual publications. Today, data is readily available online, regularly updated, and easily accessible through tools like the Environment Agency’s Hydrological Explorer.
The influx of new data presents exciting opportunities for both hydrological estimation and hydraulic modelling. By utilising this data, analysts can refine flood hydrology estimates and enhance the performance of hydraulic models. This leads to more accurate flood maps, better-informed design decisions for flood defences, and improved community flood alerts.
Tools like the Hydrological Explorer and Flood Modeller have revolutionised data access. With features like Hydrology+ in Flood Modeller, practitioners can now access and interact with data from various gauging stations instantaneously, enabling them to make more informed decisions in real time.
Sources of Hydrological Data
Primary sources of hydrological data in the UK include the National River Flow Archive and the Environment Agency’s Hydrological Explorer. The inclusion of citizen science data, while sometimes of lower quality, also holds great potential for providing high-density information. For instance, spatially focused convective rainfall events often fall between the widely spaced national rain gauge network. Personal rain gauge data, despite being of varying quality, is often more finely spaced. With intense rainfall events predicted to become increasingly common due to climate change, the use of these data will become increasingly important.
Importance of Model Calibration and Verification
We also need to emphasise the significance of hydraulic model calibration and verification. Tools like Hydrology+ enable the seamless integration of observed data into hydraulic models, facilitating rapid calibration and validation processes.
Hydrological data in flood analysis is part of an evolving landscape. With improved data accessibility and advanced tools, practitioners can work more efficiently, make better-informed decisions, reduce uncertainties, and enhance the reliability of flood assessments. The ongoing advancements in data-driven approaches promise a future where flood analysis is not only more accurate but also more accessible to a broader range of stakeholders.
Adam Parkes
Adam is the Technical Director for Flood Products at Jacobs. He is a chartered scientist with 20 years' experience in hydrology and hydraulic modelling, working across a broad range of flood risk and water management projects. He provides technical leadership for flood risk management projects, including mapping, appraisal and scheme design, alongside a wide range of related projects, including asset inspection, reservoir design, urban flooding, data capture and management.
