Flood hazard and damage assessment in the Ebro Delta
(NW Mediterranean) to relative sea level rise
Flood hazard and damage assessment in the Ebro Delta
(NW Mediterranean) to relative sea level rise
The impact of relative sea-level rise (RSLR), damage to and possible responses in the Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean) has been analyzed. Impact was determined by delineating delta areas prone to flooding under different RSLR scenarios. The surface areas of the different habitats were then quantified for flooding impact and affected ecosystems were assessed. The obtained results enabled us to characterize the Ebro Delta as a coastal environment that is highly sensitive to changes in sea level, with affected flooded areas likely to range between about 45 and 60 % for different RSLR scenarios, from which about 26 % would be inundated by subsidence only. In absolute terms, the habitat most likely to be affected by flooding was cropland. In relative terms, the most affected habitats were those typical of the lowest areas: saltwater wetlands, riparian buffer and areas of saline vegetation. Under present deltaic evolution with no sediment supply, adaptation is considered a plausible option for managing the Ebro delta under a RSLR scenario. This implies permitting surface area losses or land use changes in the lower parts of the delta, where natural values will be reinforced, and concentrating agriculture in the higher parts of the deltaic plain.
flooding, vulnerability, risk, adaptation, RSLR
1301-1321
Alvarado-Aguilar, D.
e2c48116-23a5-4b63-9247-1601e2f3c7a8
Jimenez, J.
7d60b142-1cc0-452b-b6c0-c7153250f6ee
Nicholls, R.J.
4ce1e355-cc5d-4702-8124-820932c57076
June 2012
Alvarado-Aguilar, D.
e2c48116-23a5-4b63-9247-1601e2f3c7a8
Jimenez, J.
7d60b142-1cc0-452b-b6c0-c7153250f6ee
Nicholls, R.J.
4ce1e355-cc5d-4702-8124-820932c57076
Alvarado-Aguilar, D., Jimenez, J. and Nicholls, R.J.
(2012)
Flood hazard and damage assessment in the Ebro Delta
(NW Mediterranean) to relative sea level rise.
Natural Hazards, 62 (3), .
(doi:10.1007/s11069-012-0149-x).
Abstract
The impact of relative sea-level rise (RSLR), damage to and possible responses in the Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean) has been analyzed. Impact was determined by delineating delta areas prone to flooding under different RSLR scenarios. The surface areas of the different habitats were then quantified for flooding impact and affected ecosystems were assessed. The obtained results enabled us to characterize the Ebro Delta as a coastal environment that is highly sensitive to changes in sea level, with affected flooded areas likely to range between about 45 and 60 % for different RSLR scenarios, from which about 26 % would be inundated by subsidence only. In absolute terms, the habitat most likely to be affected by flooding was cropland. In relative terms, the most affected habitats were those typical of the lowest areas: saltwater wetlands, riparian buffer and areas of saline vegetation. Under present deltaic evolution with no sediment supply, adaptation is considered a plausible option for managing the Ebro delta under a RSLR scenario. This implies permitting surface area losses or land use changes in the lower parts of the delta, where natural values will be reinforced, and concentrating agriculture in the higher parts of the deltaic plain.
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10.1007%2Fs11069-012-0149-x
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e-pub ahead of print date: 29 March 2012
Published date: June 2012
Keywords:
flooding, vulnerability, risk, adaptation, RSLR
Organisations:
Energy & Climate Change Group
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 354662
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/354662
ISSN: 0921-030X
PURE UUID: 4994b120-bf18-4fa1-8e09-5073635f5d92
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Date deposited: 17 Jul 2013 15:24
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:18
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Author:
D. Alvarado-Aguilar
Author:
J. Jimenez
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