Authors: Parvaneh Nikrou, Sagy Cohen, Anupal Baruah – University of Alabama
Title: Flood Inundation Mapping Analysis for the Neuse River in North Carolina: Intercomparison of Hydrodynamic and Topography-Based Models for Improved Accuracy and Computational Efficiency
Abstract: Flood inundation mapping (FIM) plays a crucial role in comprehending and mitigating the impacts of flooding in riverine environments. This study presents a comprehensive flood inundation mapping analysis for the Neuse River in North Carolina, focusing on the historic flood event triggered by Hurricane Matthew in 2016. The assessment of flood extension predictions is conducted using hydrodynamic and topography-based models such as HEC-RAS, LISFLOOD-FP, HAND-FIM, and AutoRoute. To ensure accuracy, extensive calibration and validation of the hydrodynamic models are performed, utilizing various sources of Manning’s Roughness coefficients. To assess the strengths and weaknesses of each model in different types of areas, extensive analysis is conducted using High-Water Marks (HWMs) and remote sensing data. The findings show that hydrodynamic models can precisely estimate flood extent, with the HAND-FIM model exhibiting significantly shorter computational time, making it a promising tool for efficient flood inundation mapping.