Analyzing the effect of urbanization on flood characteristics at catchment levels

Abstract. It is increasingly recognized that the land-use change, especially urbanization has influenced hydrological attributes intensely. Flood characteristics variation could likewise increase flood risks and pose higher demand on water management. The paper aims to evaluate temporal and spatial processes of urbanization affecting flood events at catchment level. The study sites were Xiaoqinhe catchment and its sub-catchments, a part of lower Yellow river basin in northern China. Historic cities Jinan and Zibo in the area have experienced dramatic urban expansion in recent decades, about 5% growth of urban build-up area annually from 1990s to 2010s, and also pressed alarm for increasing flood disasters. In the paper, a HEC-HMS model was set up to simulate flood processes for different land-use scenarios. The possible effects of urbanization on flood characteristics were checked in study catchment and its sub-catchments.