RIMAX - Risk management of extreme flood events | Umweltbundesamt

Differs according to the RIMAX-funded project;

Teams from Freiburg and Cottbus are analysing historic flood events in order to derive possible maximum levels.

The focus of the programme is on extreme flood events in river areas.  In the area of "technical flood protection", the focus is on analysis of existing protection systems, such as reservoirs and retention basins. How secure is a dyke? When could it break? How can this be prevented? By studying extreme scenarios , researchers can identify what can be done to optimise existing measures.

The objective of the support initiative is to develop and implement improved flood risk management instruments by integrating different specialist disciplines and different players. The focus is on extreme flood events in river areas. This covers events with a recurrence interval of more than 100 years and with significant potential damage.

Experts have collaborated on developing an expert system for flood risk management (HORIX), which is designed to provide earlier flood forecasts. Using the examples of the Franconian Saale, the Main, the Nahe and the Freiberg Mulde, an Internet-based alarm system is currently being developed, which involves what is known as the flood chain of effects: A meteorologist creates a precipitation forecast. This is passed on to hydrologists, who calculate how the water will drain in the drainage basin. This enables hydraulic experts to determine the flow behaviour of the water in rivers. Taking into account the anticipated uncertainty of this chain of forecasts, the end product is an expert system that simulates when, where and to what extent flooding can be expected.