Within the Flood Risk Mapping activity advanced methods, datasets and GIS-based tools are implemented for weather-driven risk studies. Extreme events triggered by the current climate and those expected from changes in climate are considered. Assessment and monitoring of flood risk and the impact of flood disasters are implemented with a continental approach.
Within this framework, the activity provides support to several European Commission initiatives including the European Flood Action programme, the Directive on the Assessment and Management of Flood Risks, the Solidarity Fund and EU Regional Policies. 

Map of flood damage potential in Europe (hover the map to zoom in)

Download the PDF version here [4 Megabytes]

Flood risk areas are defined on the basis of flood risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of flood disasters i.e. exposure and hazard. Georeferenced data on land use is processed for setting up the exposure component. The hazard factor is implemented by hydrological methods at different scales and for many return periods. Among the causal factors of flood disasters one is the triggering natural event in the form of extreme precipitation and consequently extreme river discharge. The threatening natural event represents the hazard component in our assessment. In addition exposure is among the anthropogenic factors that contribute to increasing flood risk at a given location. Advanced GIS-based techniques and datasets are fundamental elements within our approach. The issue of flood risk mapping is studied at continental scale. The aim is to identify and map the regions prone to flood disasters and to quantify the potential losses with the support of stage-damage functions. Results are usually presented in the form of continental maps.

Flood disasters

Within this activity we produce multi-temporal georeferenced datasets and indicators on flood disasters and losses. Comprehensive, standardised and georeferenced data on flood disasters is needed for political and economic decision-making.

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Coastal flood risk

Coastal flood risk is a major concern in Europe for the years to come. Indeed adaptation to climate change in coastal management is a priority set in the 2009’s White Paper on Adaptation (Adapting to climate change: Towards a European framework for action – COM 2009 147 final).

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Flood losses monitoring

Flooding and the accompanying economic losses are a major concern. However, it is important to know exactly how much of this is related to climate change and how much is caused by other factors, particularly societal influences.

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References

• Barredo, J.I. (2009) Normalised flood losses in Europe: 1970-2006.
  Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 9, 97-104.
• Barredo, J.I. and Gómez Delgado, M. (2008)
  Towards a set of IPCC SRES urban land-use scenarios: Modelling urban land-use in the Madrid region.
  In: M. Paegelow and M.T. Camacho olmedo (Eds.), Modelling Environmental Dynamics, Springer, pp. 363-385.
• Barredo, J., Salamon, P., Bódis, K. (2008) Towards an assessment of coastal flood damage potential in Europe. European Commission, Directorate-General Joint Research Centre,
  Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, Italy, p. 30. EUR 23698 EN.
• Barredo, J.I., Salamon, P., Feyen, L., Dankers, R., Bódis, K., De Roo, A. (2008)
  Flood damage potential in Europe. Map. Institute for Environment and Sustainability,
  European Commission - Joint Research Centre, Ispra. Catalogue number: LB-30-08-670-EN-C,
  ISBN: 978-92-79-09769-0, Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
• Barredo, J.I. (2007) Major Flood Disasters in Europe: 1950-2005. Natural Hazards, 42, 125-148.
• Barredo, J.I., de Roo, A., Lavalle, C. (2007) Flood risk mapping at European scale. Water Science and Technology, Vol. 56, 4, 11-17.
• Barredo, J.I. and De Roo, A. (2007) Map of high flood risk areas in Europe. Institute for Environment and Sustainability, European Commission - Joint Research Centre, Ispra, LB-78-07-414-EN-C, ISBN: 978-92-79-06840-9.
• Barredo, J.I., Genovese, E. (2007) Map of the Major Flood Disasters in Europe: 1950-2005. Institute for Environment and Sustainability, European Commission - Joint Research Centre, Ispra, LB-X1-07-022-EN-N.
• Genovese, E., Lugeri, N., Lavalle, C., de Roo, A. (2006) Synthetic Index of Land Cover/Flood Hazards Development 1990-2000. European Commission - Joint Research Centre, Ispra, PB/2006/IES/3319.
• Lugeri, N., Genovese, E., Lavalle, C., de Roo, A. (2006) Flood Risk in Europe: Analysis of Exposure in 13 Countries. European Commission - Joint Research Centre, Ispra, EUR 22525 EN.
• Barredo, J.I., Lavalle, C., De Roo, A. (2005) European flood risk mapping. European Commission - Joint Research Centre, Ispra, S.P.I.05.151.EN.

Contact person: José I. Barredo