4th European Conference on Flood Risk Management

The special session 'Risk Informed Decision Making for Levees and Flood Defences' will take place virtually on Tuesday 22 June 2021 from 13:30 to 15:00.

The programme of this special session will include:

13:30    Introductions
Participants to enter in chat function their name, organisation, country, topics of interest. Please use the 'add to Schedule' button on the Special Session Programme, to register your interest in participating in this special session.

13:35    General introduction on risk framework for levees and flood defences (Rémy Tourment)
Quick presentation of ICOLD TC and EUCOLD LFD WG

a.       Definition of risk: 

• Components and definition of risk
• Difference between "natural" flood risk and flood risk in the presence of levees

b.       Key terms:
Risk assessment, risk management, risk communication, residual risk

13:50    Combining deterministic and probabilistic approaches to make decisions (Dr Jonathan Simm)

a.       Risk approaches and probabilistic methods

• Deterministic and probabilistic design of levees – links to and differences from risk-informed design.
• Good practice in flood risk analysis of leveed systems – can deterministic information be incorporated?  

b.       Consideration of uncertainty

• Uncertainty in loadings on levees.
• Uncertainty in defence performance - fragility curves and uncertainty.
• Uncertainty in consequence attributable to levee segments/systems.

14:05    Discussion on use of risk and probabilistic tools

14:25    Decision making for flood risk management and for levee systems management (Elena Sossenkina and Dr Mike Sharp)

a.       What is decided? 

• Use of risk to inform decisions regarding flood risk management
  • community emergency preparedness activities
  • zoning and land development
  • flood insurance
• Use of risk to inform decisions regarding levee system management
  • type and frequency of inspections
  • operation and maintenance activities
  • options for improvements
• Use of risk to inform decisions related to both
  • Desired level of flood risk reduction (e.g. levee height)

b.       Who decides?

• Identify the roles and responsibilities
  • regarding asset (levee infrastructure) management
  • regarding emergency management
  • regarding land use

14:40    Discussion on decision making for levee systems management

15:00    Close of session

For more information visit the Special Session Hub. To access this page, you will need to be registered online. If you haven't done so yet, please Register Now Here.