Low-cost space-borne data for inundation modelling: topography, flood extent and water level

This thesis explores the potential and limitations of low-cost, space-borne data in flood inundation modelling under unavoidable, intrinsic uncertainty. In particular, the potential in supporting hydraulic modelling of floods of: NASA’s SRTM topographic data, SAR satellite imagery of flood extents and radar altimetry of water levels are analyzed in view of inflow and parametric uncertainty. Three river reaches with various scales (from medium to large) and topographic characteristics (e.g. valley-filling, two-level embankments, large and flat floodplain) are used as test sites. In conclusion, the usefulness of this data is discussed.