OpenFloodRiskMap

Open Flood Risk Map: A decision support system based on user-generated spatial data for communities in support of emergency response planning in flood management

The aim of this project is to support municipalities in developing local flood emergency response plans with the aid of freely available spatial data from OpenStreetmapMap (OSM). This approach will help to facilitate and implement the integration of engaged citizens. Within the project, a process model and a technical implementation shall be developed and put into effect. This will allow it to blend official flood hazard maps with free geodata (OSM), thus local authorities and civil advocates are provided with an efficient means of identifying critical infrastructure within the meaning of the Europen Flood Risk Management Directive.

The identification of critical infrastructure and flood risk objects for action planning is a time-critical and technical challenge especially for smaller municipalities. Many municipalities have difficulties to implement the necessary measures for the flood event planning. Firstly, because there is currently no uniform method for identifying critical elements and infrastructure. Secondly, because the changing risk situation by flood events requires the continuous maintenance and adaptation (updating) of the spatial data.

The research objectives are derived from these needs and problems and will contribute to improve the predictive protective action planning at the local level:

1. Create an object catalogue to describe critical infrastructure based on official frameworks and look for equivalent objects in the OpenStreetMap data base.
2. Development of a process model for the identification of critical objects and infrastructure at the local level based on OpenStreetMap.
3. Development of a decision support system for identifying critical infrastructure and creating dynamic maps for presentation based on OpenStreetMap.
4. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the approach in support of alarm and emergency planning at the local level.

The approach takes into account the requirements of the EC Directive on the assessment and management of flood risks (2007/60/ EC) as well as the nationally applicable action approach to preparation of flood risk management plans and the expert opinion on the future climate development in Baden-Württemberg.