Deriving hydrological networks in the Maltese Islands for flood risk assessments - a comparative study

Abstract

One of the most significant effects of urbanisation is the increase in impervious surface cover which reduces infiltration and increases runoff volume. Effective management of urban storm water runoff and water quality issues can only be accomplished once drainage area and flow networks are accurately identified (Parece and Campbell, 2014). Water resources cannot be properly managed unless their spatial distribution is known, in terms of quantity and quality, and how these variables are dependent on the parameters of periodic events, such as the intensity and duration of storms. Data from hydrological networks are used by public and private sectors for various applications, including planning of water management systems, the preparation and distribution of flood forecasts and warning systems, and the design of spillways, bridges and culverts (Stewart, 2015).