Floodplain Inundation Analysis Combined with Contingent Valuation: Implications for Sustainable Flood Risk Management

• Published in: Water resources management Vol. 28; no. 9; pp. 2491 - 2505
• Main Authors: Ghanbarpour, M. Reza, Saravi, Mohsen Mohseni, Salimi, Shokoufe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01-07-2014; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Atmospheric Sciences; Civil Engineering; Climate change; contingent valuation; Deforestation; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment; Environmental factors; Environmental risk; Exact sciences and technology; Flood control; Flood damage; Flood hazards; Flood insurance; Floodplains; Floods; Freshwater; geographic information systems; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; household income; Hydrogeology; Hydrology; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; Hydrology/Water Resources; Insurance; Inundation; issues and policy; Land use; Landowners; Natural disasters; Natural hazards: prediction, damages, etc; Natural resources; Participation; people; Planning; Policies; Precipitation; Public participation; Questionnaires; Risk analysis; Risk management; risk perception; River basins; Rivers; Studies; Urban development; Valuation methods; Water resources; Water resources management; Watersheds; Willingness to pay; Zoning; Iran; Middle East; Asia; Risk; Flood insurance; Willingness to pay; Floodplain management; Contingent valuation; rivers; floods; models; maps; water policy; natural disasters; geographic information systems; floodplains; land use; zoning; regulations; water resource management; Risk management; methodology
• ISSN: 0920-4741; 1573-1650
• DOI: 10.1007/s11269-014-0622-2

This study presents the results of open-ended contingent valuation method (CVM) to estimate the residents’ maximum willingness to pay (WTP) for flood insurance and structural flood control measures in the Neka River Basin in Northern Iran. Flood inundation analysis and floodplain risk mapping were conducted by applying the HEC-RAS model combined with GIS analysis. A calibrated 100-year flood risk inundation map was considered as a basis for this research. This paper demonstrates applicability of CVM combined with flood inundation analysis to understand public participation for flood risk management, and their perception of flooding, considering associated socioeconomic and environmental factors. The results have shown that stated WTPs significantly varies with household income, distance people live from the river and the land use type of properties. Findings of this study suggest that the majority of respondents view flood hazard as the most important natural disaster. Furthermore, WTPs are significantly higher for those who have high level of flood risk perception. Three policy options for flood risk management are discussed, which include flood zoning and land use regulation, flood insurance program, and structural measure of levee construction. The advantages and disadvantages of each option are explored. It was concluded that a combination of possible mitigation options should be considered in order to achieve sustainable flood risk management in the Neka River Floodplain.