A generic DSS for flood management and landscape planning

The integrated approach to river and flood plain management is well established in the Netherlands. Due to a high population density and considerable economic activity, policy makers realise the importance of a multi-criteria evaluation of impacts and an integral weighing of interests. As interests are often conflicting, alternative strategies for river and flood plain management are being developed providing policy makers with realistic options to choose from. The assessment of impacts requires a rigorous and quantitative analysis of different processes in the river and flood plains. To promote an integrated and multi-disciplinary approach to the design and evaluation of plans for river and flood plain management, a generic decision support system (DSS) was developed. Flexibility has been the main focus in its development: the DSS should support policy analysis as well as provide a structure for the design of measures. The DSS has been developed within the framework of the LWI-research programme by a consortium of water management authorities including Rijkswaterstaat, research institutes and consulting companies. The development of the DSS was co-ordinated by Delft Hydraulics.





To cover the diversity of user needs, the DSS includes three different modes. The initiative mode of the DSS offers the user two means to give focus and direction to the planning of river and flood plain management: a Documentary Information System and an Expert System. The policy mode supports the evaluation of alternative strategies for river and flood plain management on a wide range of impacts including safety against flooding, environmental quality, navigation and costs. The ecological model LEDESS-1D and the hydrodynamic model SOBEK play a key-role in impact assessment. The design mode supports the design and elaboration of detailed plans for flood plain management. These plans are designed using an application of ArcView. Two dimensional models for water flow and ecology are used for the evaluation of the designs. LEDESS-2D determines the impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecology, whereas WAQUA is used to evaluate impacts on currents and water levels.

more information

For more information please contact Marcel Ververs.