Flood risk management: A strategic approach

TLDR: In this article, the authors provide an overview of the emerging good practice in strategic risk-based flood risk manage- ment, the process of developing plans and policies, and the appropriate times and places at which these more specific techniques can be used.

Abstract: Remarkable progress in cultivating the concepts of flood risk management has taken place over the past decade, across many countries as diverse as India, China, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, and in many instances this progress has been transferred into decision-making practice. This change in practice highlights a risk management paradigm as potentially more complex than a more tradition- al standard-based approach as it involves 'whole systems' and 'whole life' thinking; yet this is also its main strength - paving the way for more integrated and informed decision making that utilizes a portfolio of re- sponses across a full range of flood risk management activities whilst recognising their inter-relationship and contribution to integrated basin planning. This paper is the result of an international collaborative effort to review and distill approaches to water man- agement in challenging large scale and inter-related environments, providing new insights into good strategic planning and risk management of water resources and floods. The paper provides an overview of the com- mon process and frameworks of flood risk management and provides guidance on the specific techniques available and to describe how and when these techniques might be used, illustrated with case studies from around the world. It is not intended, however, to provide guidance on the detailed technical tools and means of analysis that form part of the flood risk management analytical process, for example detailed hydrological, hydraulic, ecological or economic assessment methodologies, as these are easily found elsewhere. Instead, it is intended to provide an overview of the emerging good practice in strategic risk-based flood risk manage- ment, the process of developing plans and policies, and the appropriate times and places at which these more specific techniques can be used. In particular the paper is focused on strategic flood risk management policy and practice and provides an overview of:  The historical developments and emerging trends  The purpose and characteristics of modern flood risk management.  The goals, objectives and outcomes sought  The on-going challenges in developing and implementing flood risk management in practice together with some of the common pitfalls and misconceptions  A summary of some specific and techniques and how they support good decision making