View in EDS

Quantifying the Lifespan of 3D Flood Structures: Unlocking the Potential of Flood Detention Areas for Enhanced Flood Control in China.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Quantifying the Lifespan of 3D Flood Structures: Unlocking the Potential of Flood Detention Areas for Enhanced Flood Control in China.
Authors: Lin, Yiling1 (AUTHOR), Hu, Xie1 (AUTHOR) hu.xie@pku.edu.cn, Wang, Fang2 (AUTHOR), Tang, Qiuhong3 (AUTHOR), Zhao, Yong4 (AUTHOR), Li, Yongsheng5 (AUTHOR), Li, Tao6 (AUTHOR), Liu, Changjun7 (AUTHOR), Wang, Xiekang8 (AUTHOR), Li, Dongfeng9 (AUTHOR)
Source: Water Resources Research. Nov2025, Vol. 61 Issue 11, p1-17. 17p.
Subjects: Flood control, Remote sensing, Floodplain management, Storm water retention basins, Watersheds, Stream measurements
Geographic Terms: China
Abstract: The escalating frequency and magnitude of floods pose significant challenges to traditional flood control measures with fixed defense capacities, such as levees, dams, and reservoirs. Flood Detention Areas (FDAs) have been widely implemented in many countries as solutions to extreme flood events, functioning by temporarily holding excess floodwaters and serving as farmland and residential zones during periods of inactivity. However, uncertainties regarding their flood control effectiveness, concerns over post‐activation livelihood recovery, and the lack of management guidelines have limited their broader adoption and effective utilization. Here we proposed an innovative remote sensing and AI based framework to derive the lifespan of 3D flood structure incorporating flood extent and depth. Taking the once‐in‐a‐century flood in China's Hai River Basin (HRB) in 2023 as example, the thrived two‐month‐long catchment‐scale 229,000‐km2 3D flood structure enabled the first quantitative evaluation to the flood control and drainage capacities of FDAs. The results revealed that eight activated FDAs detained 2.7 billion m3 of floodwaters, with most of the water drained within two weeks. River conveyance capacity was identified as a pivotal factor in the flood drainage process. The 3D flood structure further highlights disparities in detention processes between upstream and downstream FDAs due to cascade effects, providing valuable guidance for their management. These findings resolve the key uncertainties and debates regarding FDAs, providing insights to enhance FDA management, and supporting their broader implementation in flood‐prone regions with extensive agricultural land use and dense populations, thereby mitigating future flood risks and minimizing associated losses. Plain Language Summary: The unprecedented floods with increasing frequency demand sustainable solutions. Flood Detention Areas (FDAs) therefore emerged and have been widely implemented to temporarily detain excessive floodwaters. Using the 3D flood structure of a once‐in‐a‐century flood in China's Hai River Basin (HRB) in 2023, we provided the first quantitative assessment to the activated FDAs, which detained 2.7 billion m3 of floodwaters and drained them within two weeks. Further analysis proved the critical role of river conveyance capacity during flood drainage and revealed disparities between upstream and downstream FDAs. These findings deepen understanding to FDAs, offering insights to enhance management, and supporting their broader adoption in flood‐prone regions, further mitigating the future flood risks and losses. Key Points: A two‐month lifespan of a 3D flood structure, encompassing flood extent and depth across the 229,000 km2 Hai River Basin, was reconstructedFlood detention areas activated during the 2023 flood detained 2.7 billion m3 of floodwaters, with the majority drained within two weeksRiver conveyance capacity was a critical determinant during the drainage process of flood detention areas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Water Resources Research is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:The escalating frequency and magnitude of floods pose significant challenges to traditional flood control measures with fixed defense capacities, such as levees, dams, and reservoirs. Flood Detention Areas (FDAs) have been widely implemented in many countries as solutions to extreme flood events, functioning by temporarily holding excess floodwaters and serving as farmland and residential zones during periods of inactivity. However, uncertainties regarding their flood control effectiveness, concerns over post‐activation livelihood recovery, and the lack of management guidelines have limited their broader adoption and effective utilization. Here we proposed an innovative remote sensing and AI based framework to derive the lifespan of 3D flood structure incorporating flood extent and depth. Taking the once‐in‐a‐century flood in China's Hai River Basin (HRB) in 2023 as example, the thrived two‐month‐long catchment‐scale 229,000‐km2 3D flood structure enabled the first quantitative evaluation to the flood control and drainage capacities of FDAs. The results revealed that eight activated FDAs detained 2.7 billion m3 of floodwaters, with most of the water drained within two weeks. River conveyance capacity was identified as a pivotal factor in the flood drainage process. The 3D flood structure further highlights disparities in detention processes between upstream and downstream FDAs due to cascade effects, providing valuable guidance for their management. These findings resolve the key uncertainties and debates regarding FDAs, providing insights to enhance FDA management, and supporting their broader implementation in flood‐prone regions with extensive agricultural land use and dense populations, thereby mitigating future flood risks and minimizing associated losses. Plain Language Summary: The unprecedented floods with increasing frequency demand sustainable solutions. Flood Detention Areas (FDAs) therefore emerged and have been widely implemented to temporarily detain excessive floodwaters. Using the 3D flood structure of a once‐in‐a‐century flood in China's Hai River Basin (HRB) in 2023, we provided the first quantitative assessment to the activated FDAs, which detained 2.7 billion m3 of floodwaters and drained them within two weeks. Further analysis proved the critical role of river conveyance capacity during flood drainage and revealed disparities between upstream and downstream FDAs. These findings deepen understanding to FDAs, offering insights to enhance management, and supporting their broader adoption in flood‐prone regions, further mitigating the future flood risks and losses. Key Points: A two‐month lifespan of a 3D flood structure, encompassing flood extent and depth across the 229,000 km2 Hai River Basin, was reconstructedFlood detention areas activated during the 2023 flood detained 2.7 billion m3 of floodwaters, with the majority drained within two weeksRiver conveyance capacity was a critical determinant during the drainage process of flood detention areas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:00431397
DOI:10.1029/2025WR039992