Continuous Simulation Model for the Wansbeck Catchment and Analysis of the Flood Risk Estimation

Master's Thesis from the year 2011 in the subject Geography / Earth Science - Meteorology, Aeronomy, Climatology, grade: 89, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, language: English, abstract: The town of Morpeth, which lies in the Wansbeck catchment, experienced a catastrophic flood on the 6th September, 2008 which has resulted in this research. The main aim of this study is the development of a continuous simulation approach for flood risk estimation applied to the Wansbeck catchment during the 2008 flood.

The objectives include: Analysis spatial rainfall forecast from the Met Office with 1 km high resolution and use 24 ensemble rainfall models for every 5 minutes across the area of a subcatchment as input to rainfall-runoff model. Run calibrated rainfall- runoff model (SHETRAN) using inputs of catchment rainfall (24 ensemble rainfall models), catchment maps including maps of catchment area, DEM, soil type and land use to simulate flood flows in each tributary during the event. Choose peak flows simulated by maximum, medium and minimum ensemble rainfall through the flows model simulated by all 24 ensemble rainfall models, as the input to NOAH 1D model. Run calibrated NOAH 1D (with existing river cross sections and structure dimensions) using inputs of SHETRAN flows at Font and Upper Wansbeck (upstream flows) to get flood flows and levels at Mitford (downstream flow) without storage. Build a conceptual model of the upstream storage areas (in Upper Wansbeck) to compare water levels and flows with and without storage during the event. Calculate water volume that has been stored with the storage in different elevations.