In the heart of western Romania, a quiet river named Cigher is making waves in the world of flood risk management. Loredana Copăcean, a researcher from the Department of Sustainable Development and Environmental Engineering at the University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, has led a groundbreaking study that could revolutionize how we approach flood assessment and mitigation. Published in Applied Sciences, the research focuses on the Cigher River, a tributary of the Crișul Alb River, and offers a comprehensive methodology that integrates GIS technologies, hydraulic modeling, and open-source data to identify flood-prone areas and assess the impact on agricultural lands.
The study, which analyzed different discharge scenarios, revealed alarming insights. Under maximum discharge conditions, the river’s flood risk escalates dramatically, affecting vast areas of land. “The most severe scenario, with a discharge of 60 cubic meters per second, caused extensive flooding, affecting 871 hectares of land with various uses,” Copăcean explained. This includes agricultural lands, which are particularly vulnerable to the complex abiotic stress caused by flooding, such as reduced light availability and anaerobic conditions that affect soil fertility and crop productivity.
The implications of this research extend far beyond the Cigher River basin. The methodology developed by Copăcean and her team is not only reproducible but also applicable to other river basins, offering a valuable model for developing sustainable strategies for flood prevention and management. This is particularly relevant for the energy sector, where infrastructure such as power plants and transmission lines are often located near water bodies. Floods can cause significant damage to these facilities, leading to power outages and economic losses.
The study’s use of open-source tools like HEC-RAS and LiDAR data makes it accessible for further research and practical applications. “By integrating high-resolution geospatial data and computational modeling, the study provided valuable data and cartographic materials that can support decision-makers in reducing risks and efficiently planning land use,” Copăcean noted. This approach not only enhances our understanding of hydraulic and hydrogeomorphological processes but also paves the way for more dynamic flood simulations that can integrate the impact of climate change.
As climate change continues to exacerbate the frequency and severity of floods, the need for robust flood risk management strategies becomes increasingly urgent. This research offers a beacon of hope, demonstrating the power of modern technologies in mitigating the devastating effects of floods. By providing a reproducible methodology, Copăcean’s study could shape future developments in the field, encouraging more proactive and careful risk management and disaster prevention strategies. The integration of GIS technologies, hydraulic modeling, and open-source data represents a significant step forward in our ability to protect vulnerable areas and reduce economic and ecological losses.