← System Models Flooding
What are these models?
Models that simulate how water moves through rivers, catchments, and coastal systems — predicting where and when flooding will occur and how severe it will be.
What are they used for?
- Forecasting flood events hours to days ahead
- Issuing early warnings to communities
- Designing flood protection infrastructure
- Assessing climate change impacts on flood risk
Typical inputs
- Rainfall (observed and forecast)
- River flow and level data
- Sea level and tidal predictions
- Catchment characteristics (soil, slope, land use)
Typical outputs
- Flood forecasts with lead times
- Inundation maps showing affected areas
- Risk levels and return periods
- Barrier closure triggers
Tools & sources
Common tools
Key sources
Where these models are used
| Case Study | Tool / Model | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Thames Flood Barrier | Thames Estuary flood forecasting system | Predicts surge and tide conditions to trigger barrier closure |
| Netherlands Delta Programme | Delft-FEWS / SOBEK | Forecasting and scenario modelling for national flood risk |
| Flood Early Warning System | Delft-FEWS / regional flood models | Predicts river flooding and issues 5–10 day warnings |
| Tokyo Flood Control System (G-Cans) | Urban flood routing models | Simulates extreme rainfall and underground storage performance |
| Room for the River Programme | WAQUA / SOBEK hydraulic models | Simulates river discharge and floodplain capacity |
Water • UK
Thames Flood Barrier
The world’s second-largest moveable flood barrier protecting 1.4 million Londoners from tidal surge flooding.
Water • Netherlands
Netherlands Delta Programme
National climate adaptation strategy protecting the Netherlands from flooding and ensuring freshwater supply through 2100.
Water • Bangladesh
Flood Early Warning System
National flood forecasting and warning system that has dramatically reduced flood deaths in one of the world’s most flood-prone countries.
Water • Japan
Tokyo Flood Control System (G-Cans)
The world’s largest underground flood diversion facility protecting metropolitan Tokyo from extreme flooding.
Water • Netherlands
Room for the River Programme
34 projects giving Dutch rivers more room to flood safely, combining flood protection with spatial quality improvements.
Related use cases
Decisions these models support:
- Forecast flood risk ahead of events — Use weather forecasts, river data, and hydrological models to predict where and when flooding wil...
- Operate flood defences during events — Decide when to close barriers, activate pumps, open sluices, or divert floodwater through emergen...
- Monitor river and reservoir levels — Continuously measure water levels in rivers, reservoirs, and aquifers so that operators have an u...