Flood-control Alternatives

Introduction

Overbank Flow
- a result from which flooding flows are large enough that the channel banks overflow and can
extend over the floodplain in large floods
- usually shallow compared to the channel flow and also flows at a much lower velocity than the
channel flow.
Main channel
- also called as floodway, is usually a defined channel that can meander through the floodplain
carrying low flows.
 Objective of Flood Control
To reduce or to alleviate the negative consequences of flooding.

Flood-Control Facilities
- alternative measures that modify the flood runoff
- consist of engineering structures or modifications
Structural Measures
- construction of flood-control facilities
- usually designed to consider the flood characteristics including reservoirs, diversions,
levees or dikes, and channel modifications
- generally require large sums of capital investment.
Nonstructural Measures
- flood-control measures that modify the damage susceptibility of floodplains
- may require minor engineering works
- are designed to modify the damage potential for permanent facilities and provide for
reducing potential damage during a flood event
- include flood proofing, flood warning, and land-use controls
Floodplain Management
- takes an integrated view of all engineering, nonstructural, and administrative measures for
managing (minimizing) losses due to flooding on a comprehensive scale

Table 14.3.1 presents a checklist summarizing the critical requirements for without-project
condition analysis. These represent the base condition for determining the economic value,
performance, and environmental/social impacts of flood-damage-reduction measures and plans
(U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1996a).

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Structural Alternatives

Table 14.3.2 summarizes several flood-damage reduction measures and the parametric
relationships that are modified. The basic functional relationships required to assess the value of
flood-damage reduction alternatives are shown in Figure 14.3.1.

Stage-damage relationships define the flood severity in terms of damage cost for various stages.
Stage-discharge relationships, also referred to as rating curves, are modified by various flood-
control alternatives.
Flood-flow frequency relationships define the recurrence of nature in terms of the flood
magnitudes.
Flood control alternatives are designed to modify the flood characteristics by altering one or
more of the above relationships.

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Types of Flood-Control Structures

Flood-Control Reservoirs

- are used to store flood waters for release after the flood event, reducing the magnitude of the
peak discharge
- modify the flood-flow frequency curve
- reduce damage by reducing discharge directly

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 Diversions

- diversion structures are used to reroute or bypass flood flows from damage centers in order to
reduce the peak flows at the damage centers
- designed to modify the frequency curve so that the flow magnitude for a specific event is
lowered at the damage center

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 Levees or Dikes

- levees or dikes are used to keep flood flows from floodplain areas where damage can occur.
- the effect of levees is to reduce the damage in protected areas from water surface stages within
the stream or main channel
- even though levees have the purpose of protecting property and lives, they also bring the
potential for major disasters

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 Channel Modifications

- channel modifications (channel improvements) are performed to improve the conveyance

characteristics of a stream channel
- are usually for local protection but can be integrated with other flood-control alternatives to
provide a more efficient flood-control system.