Towards a decision support system for flood management in a river basin

Abstract

A platform for flood forecasting (FEWS-LIMA) in the Portuguese river Lima basin was implemented applying Delft-FEWS software. This platform integrates SOBEK Sacramento hydrological model, SOBEK rivers hydrodynamic models (working together in predicting river hydrodynamics behaviour), and a comprehensive hydrological database. The calibration of these models was achieved using historical river flow data of different rainfall events for two different periods: after the dams construction and before its construction. Models predictions use rainfall time series as input data obtained from Numerical Weather Prediction models. The performance of forecasting platform was verified in real rainfall events, using a backcasting approach for four flood events occurred in the years 2006, 2010, and 2011 in order to demonstrate the accuracy of the modelled processes. In addition, a forecasting event was also considered in order to show the applicability of this methodology in future situations. It was verified, in this case study, that the obtained results have a high correlation to the actually measured typical flood hydraulic parameters.