ASSESSMENT OF FLASH-FLOOD SUSCEPTIBILITY IN SMALL RIVER BASINS

Due to the climate changes occurred in the last decades the frequency and intensity of hydrological risk phenomena are also increasing. The flash-floods are considered the most devastating natural hazards around worldwide. The identification of areas with a high flash-flood potential and also of the valleys with a high potential for flash-flood propagation is mandatory to be included in the flash-flood risk management activity. In this regard the present study proposes a GIS methodology to identify the flash-flood potential along river valleys from small catchments. The analysis carried out into a number of 5 small river basins across Romania revealed that a high percentage of river network is characterized by a high and very high flash-flood potential. The results of the present study can be successfully used in the flash-flood risk management activity and also in the activity of flash-flood forecast and warning.