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Application of Airborne IFSAR Generated Elevation Data for Flood Risk Modeling and Mapping

Xiaopeng Li Ph.D., Mapping Scientist
Intermap Technologies Corp, Canada
xli@intermap.com

David Hisdal
Director, S.E Asia Sales
Intermap Technologies Inc, Canada
dhisdal@intermap.com

Henry Gansen
Senior Project Manager
Intermap Technologies Corp., Canada
hgansen@intermap.com

Abstract :
Flooding is a devastating and costly natural disaster in areas adjacent to ocean, rivers and other large water bodies. Flood modeling and mapping are crucial for accurate disaster forecasting, hazard engineering, prompt mitigation as well as rapid after-event recovery and reconstruction. Geospatial data plays a paramount role in these activities. Among various geospatial data, digital elevation models (DEMs) with appropriate resolution and accuracy are indispensable component – they are of fundamental importance to understanding environmental processes, particularly for flood risk modeling and mapping.

Many existing digital elevation datasets are not fit for flood modeling and mapping purposes due to low resolution, low accuracy, and data currency. This situation becomes more severe when modeling and mapping efforts encompass large geographic areas, such as countries and regions. Intermap Technologies is producing DEMs on a nationwide basis employing its airborne interferometric synthetic radar technology. The products are showing many operational advantages over other elevation datasets for such applications.

This paper will discuss the unique requirements placed on geospatial data, especially the DEM, by flood modeling programs. The paper will also demonstrate the appropriateness of Intermap’s DEM and orthorectified radar image products for flood modeling and the potential applications in the Southeast Asia region.