The LISFLOOD model is a spatially explicit hydrological model created and used by the EC's Joint Research Centre. The model is capable of basin level simulation of hydrological processes such as evaporation, snow accumulation and melt, water uptake by vegetation, surface runoff, and ground water runoff, among other outputs. The simulation of these processes allows for the study of climate change and land use-change effects to a catchment, as well as the forecasting of floods and assessment of river regulation policies.
This toolbox entry has been labelled with the following tags:
| Sector: | water management | |
| Spatial scale: | sub-national; national | |
| Temporal focus: | present; future | |
| Onset: | sudden | |
| Role in decision process: | diagnostic; prescriptive | |
| Level of skills required: | high | |
| Data requirements: | high | |
| Adaptation tasks: | Potential impact projection; Residual impact projection |
LISFLOOD is able to output estimated heights of waterways during floods of a given probability at a very fine scale, allowing for projections of changing flood risk via the effects of climate change. This output is being utilized by the EU case study on flooding to assess the changing European flood risk and possible adaptation measures.
LISFLOOD is a closed model developed by JRC, and access to the model is not given for outside use. Model results may be utilized for future research after their publication, but use of the model by outside researchers for work independent of the JRC is highly unlikely. However, a highly detailed user's manual and documentation of the methods used by the model is available via JRC; the link can be found below.
http://floods.jrc.ec.europa.eu/files/lisflood/ec_jrc_lisfloodUserManual_JvdK-AdR.pdf?ml=5&mlt=system&tmpl=component
LISFLOOD is spatially explicit and relies on a number of input data sources, ranging from land cover, soil characteristics, topography, and hydrological traits of the catchment. Additionally, climate and weather data are required: rainfall, evaporation, and daily temperature estimates. As a result, LISFLOOD is seen as having very high data requirements, and requires substantial computer processing power to utilize both the model and output data. High resolution data can be in the scale of 10 x 10 meter grids; for the EU flooding case study, a Europe-wide grid at this scale for different events (e.g. 50, 100, 250 year flood events) results in huge output datasets, making further use of the data problematic in the absence of enough computing resources.
http://floods.jrc.ec.europa.eu/lisflood-model
http://floods.jrc.ec.europa.eu/files/lisflood/ec_jrc_lisfloodUserManual_JvdK-AdR.pdf?ml=5&mlt=system&tmpl=component
Van der Knijff J.M., J. Younis and A.P.J. De Roo (2010) LISFLOOD: a GIS-based distributed model for river-basin scale water balance and flood simulation. International Journal of Geographical Information Science, Vol. 24, No.2, 189-212. http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a905971227
De Roo, A.P.J., Wesseling, C.G. and Van Deursen, W.P.A. (2000) Physically based river basin modelling within a GIS: The LISFLOOD model. Hydrological Processes, 14, pp. 1981-1992. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/1099-1085(20000815/30)14:11/12%3C1981::AID-HYP49%3E3.0.CO;2-F/pdf
