GIS based distributed modeling for flood estimation

This paper presents a flood estimation method by combining geographical information systems with distributed hydrologic modeling. The main focus of the paper is on discussing a flood hydrograph estimation method by using physiographic characteristics and recorded meteorological data. Basin related parameters of the model are derived from a digital elevation model, a land use map and a soil map in raster format. Runoff is generated for each raster cell in relation to rainfall intensity and soil moisture content and is routed along the flow paths by using the diffusive wave approximation. The model is applied to the Alzette basin located in the Grand-duchy of Luxembourg. River discharges are estimated on hourly basis from December 1996 to March 2001 and good agreement is obtained with the measured data.