Rational - Response of Flood Events to Land Use and Climate Change - page 5

Fig. 1.4 Cumulative curves for floods and debris flows for the period 1850-2006 [ 9 ]

whole Barcelonnette Basin is known for its numerous slope (the slope gradients
range from 10 to 20) instabilities and other geomorphologic hazards [ 9 , 11 ] and
also for the very active flood hazards in this basin directly and indirectly affected
by land use.
Unfortunately, a flood event as a natural phenomenon cannot be prevented.
Some human activities such as increasing human settlements in floodplains, the
reduction of natural water retention by land use, and climate change contribute to
the increased likelihood of flood events [ 12 ].

1.3 Research Hypothesis and Objectives

In general, the main aim of the dissertation was to develop and apply methods to
identify and analyze the flood hazard by computing of a set of crisis scenarios (e.g.
dyke failure). The selection of a subset of these scenarios with distinct return
periods as input into the hydraulic one-dimensional (1D) and hydrologic one-two
dimensional (1D-2D) models was also estimated. Additionally, this research gives
a comparative overview of the major challenges faced when dealing with flood
hazards. It provides a methodology to investigate the probable climate change and
land use change from the past until the present in the Barcelonnette area. Based on
available data, and in accordance with the main aim, this work is supported by five
specific objectives which contribute to investigate the posed research hypotheses
as a pre-research prediction: