2025 CSDMS meeting-015
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Vikas Kumar (Vikas Kumar) choose to not submit an abstract for this conference.
Kumar Gaurav, IISER Bhopal Bhopal , India. vikask23@iiserb.ac.in
Floodplain zonation involves identifying areas at risk of flooding by classifying them into active and inactive flood zones. This categorisation is based on an analysis of the river's geomorphic and topographic features. Floodplain zones are crucial for land use and land cover planning along rivers, serving as non-structural measures to mitigate flood damage. These areas play a vital role in maintaining a sustainable balance between natural landscapes and economic development, providing essential resources for human and environmental health. With the increasing impacts of climate change, identifying flood risk zones has become increasingly important to reduce flood-related disasters. As human populations grow, especially in floodplain areas of the most underdeveloped and developing countries, many people unknowingly live in flood-prone zones. In this study, we conducted a detailed analysis of the geomorphic features of the river channel and floodplain. We applied a hybrid approach, using multi-source multi-scale (MsMs) satellite imagery and elevation data from a high-resolution digital elevation model to identify floodplain zones at different risk levels. This initial flood risk zonation was validated through field surveys, including topographic measurements using differential GPS (DGPS), remote sensing of geomorphic features using RGB drone images, and channel bathymetry measurements with acoustic doppler current profilers (ADCP). This field-based approach allowed us to develop an accurate map of flood zones with the active and bankfull channel of the Narmada River. Additionally, we conducted a spatio-temporal analysis of historical satellite images available from 1965–2025 to understand geomorphic changes caused by both natural and human factors. Our analysis reveals three distinct flood risk zones: (1) No-Go Zone (NGZ), (2) Regulatory Zone (RGZ), and (3) Warning Zone (WGZ), based on geomorphic and topographic characteristics specifying all boundaries and landmarks around the water channel. Each zone carries different risks depending on factors such as riverbed patterns, bank height, riparian zone, local weather, and variations in climate and discharge regimes. We also propose flood risk management strategies that involve restricting certain activities in areas with different geomorphic processes, taking into account the impact of both river dynamics and human activities on flooding.
Keywords: geomorphic analysis, floodplain zonation, Narmada River, drone survey.
