Technical Evolution of Flood Maps Through Spanish Experience in the European Framework

Flood maps group different types of cartographies related to flooding and the components and variables of flood risk and its mitigation measures. This paper analyses the most important facts in the development of flood mapping in Spain and assesses the current. While 60/2007 EU Directive has been an important step for mapping risk, future developments must: (i) overcome the concept of return period; (ii) incorporate other aspects of the European Directive, basically vulnerability and susceptibility to flooding from rainwater, also the effect of climate change on flood hazards; (iii) include scenarios for the consequences of climate change; (iv) incorporate risk cartography as a key element of ‘green infrastructure’, like tool in spatial planning; (v) Reduce the map representation scale; (vi) incorporate new elements within risk maps to improve emergency management; (vii) improve public-private cooperation; (viii) facilitate the legal use of hazard and risk maps in administrative and court processes.