Floodwater Depth Estimation Tool (FwDET)

Calculates floodwater depths using a digital elevation model (DEM) and a flood extent polygon

Updates:

2023-10-20

Implemented in QGIS as a processing script

2022-08-24

Implemented in:

• = ArcGis 10.5

• ArcGis Pro
• Google Earth Engine

Description

Within this repository resides the three versions of FwDET. Version 1, featured in Estimating Floodwater Depths from Flood Inundation Maps and Topography [Cohen et al. 2018], best works in inland riverine regions and has been implemented using both Arcpy and QGIS. Version 2, features an improved algorithm which better solves coastal flooding as well as fluvial [Cohen et al. 2019]. Version 2 implements a much different approach that is considerably more computationally efficient, drastically reducing run time compared to version 1 of the tool. Version 2.1 introduces a boundary cell smoothing and filtering procedure which improves the tool's accuracy [Cohen et al. 2022].

Installation

ArcMap/Pro Toolbox

1. Clone this repository or download the toolbox file.
2. Open ArcMap/Pro and navigate using the catalog to the directory containing FwDET_ArcGISPro.tbx.
3. Expand the toolbox and double click on the tool version you wish to use.

QGIS

see qgis/README.md

Development

NOTE: project uses git lfs

Related Publications:

Cohen et al. 2022, Sensitivity of Remote Sensing Floodwater Depth Calculation to Boundary Filtering and Digital Elevation Model Selections. Remote Sensing

Peter et al. 2020, Google Earth Engine Implementation of the Floodwater Depth Estimation Tool (FwDET-GEE) for Rapid and Large Scale Flood Analysis. IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters.

Cohen et al. 2019, The Floodwater Depth Estimation Tool (FwDET v2.0) for Improved Remote Sensing Analysis of Coastal Flooding. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 19, 2053–2065.

Cohen et al. 2017, Estimating Floodwater Depths from Flood Inundation Maps and Topography, Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 54 (4), 847–858.

Contacts:

Sagy Cohen

Other resources:

SDML Website

FwDET CSDMS Tool Repo Description