Management System for Dam-Break Hazard Mapping in a Complex Basin Environment

Flood disasters from dam breaks cause serious loss of human life and immense damage to infrastructure and economic stability. The application of Geographic Information System technology integrated with hydrological modeling for mapping flood-inundated areas and depth can play a momentous role in further minimizing the risk and possible damage. In the present study, base terrain data, hydrological data, and dam engineering data were integrated using the MIKE-21 dam-break model to analyze flood routing under the most serious scenarios. A deterministic approach was used to calculate the hydraulic elements of dam breakage during a flood. Additionally, the hydraulic elements generated by the MIKE-21 dam-break model (a modelling system for estuaries, coastal waters, and seas)—including flood depth, submersion time, and flow direction—were integrated with a digital elevation model of the site downstream of the dam in order to map the possible affected areas. Using an empirical model in addition to using the superimposition of dam flood calculation results and the social and economic survey data, dam damage assessment was implemented. In accordance with a relevant standard, the flood risk mapping guidelines and a set of client/server structures were developed for a management system for dam-break hazard mapping of the Foziling reservoir. The simulation data and the study results can provide a scientific basis for emergency management of the reservoir and provide a socio-economic framework for downstream areas.