End-User Specific Flood Uncertainty Mapping: Effective Map Design From the Perspective of the English Public (PAP014348)

Código

PAP014348

Autores

Richard Vause

Tema

Flood resilient societies through community preparedness

Resumo

Contemporary flood risk management places an emphasis on the utilisation of flood maps. However, flood mapping exhibits a number of shortcomings; Firstly, despite uncertainty being ubiquitous in flood information and of value in decision making, it is rarely included within flood maps. Secondly, flood map end-users are heterogeneous, possessing different information requirements for their map use and varying levels of understanding the information maps contain. Therefore, more effective map communication can be achieved through the production of end-user specific flood maps. This study addresses such issues by considering end-user specific flood maps that include uncertainty, assessing map design (content and visualisation) to most effectively communicate uncertainty from the perspective of the public. This was achieved through: 1) a review of contemporary approaches to communicating uncertainty within maps; 2) interviews with 12 participants from two English Flood Action Groups to assess the public's map design requirements and preferences; 3) presenting interview findings as flood map design recommendations for the inclusion of uncertainty, with two recommended maps produced. From this, the study found that the participants consider the inclusion of uncertainty information to be of value within flood maps. The greatest range and detail of uncertainty was seen to facilitate the most informed and flexible decision making. Uncertainty information should be visualised in a clear and unique manner that allows distinction from best estimate information. The best estimate flood information is considered the most significant information for map use and map design should reflect this. Such recommendations are joined by a more extensive list of recommendations.