PYRAMID: A Platform for dynamic, hyper-resolution, near-real time flood risk assessment integrating repurposed and novel data sources

Abstract: It is essential that we work towards better preparation for flooding, as the impacts and risks associated increase with a changing climate. Standard methods for flood risk assessment are typically static, based on flood depths corresponding to return levels. In contrast flood risk changes over time, with the time of day and weather conditions, driving the location and extent of potential debris (e.g. vehicles or trees may cause blockages in culverts) affecting the associated risks. To this end, we aim to provide a platform for dynamic flood risk assessment, to better inform decision making, allowing for improved flood preparation at a local level. With stakeholder collaboration at a local level, a web-platform demonstrator is presented, for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne (U.K.) and the wider catchment, providing interactive visualisations and dynamic flood risk maps.

To achieve this, near real-time updates are incorporated as part of a fully integrated workflow of models, with traditional datasets combined with novel, hidden data. More realistic high-resolution data, citizen science data and novel data sources are combined, making use of data scraping and APIs to obtain additional sensor data. Using machine learning methods, more complex datasets are generated, using artificial intelligence algorithms and object detection to identify potential debris information from satellites, LIDAR point clouds and trash screen images. The model framework involves hyper-resolution hydrodynamic modelling (HIPIMS), with a hydrological catchment model (SHETRAN), working towards a digital twin.

Biography: Amy Green is a Research Associate in the Water Group at Newcastle University, with an interest in radar rainfall estimation, environmental extremes and applied statistics. Her doctoral thesis entitled improving radar rainfall estimation for flood risk using Monte Carlo ensemble simulation was part of the DREAM CDT. She is funded through the IMPETUS4CHANGE project, creating a platform for climate indices, and is improving and updating the Global Sub-Daily Rainfall dataset of quality controlled rain gauge records. She has previously worked on developing a platform for dynamic, hyper-resolution, near-real time flood risk assessment, integrating novel data sources, developing a digitally-enabled environment.