Information system "BW_Abfluss": regionalisation of flood, mean and low flow parameters

Abstract. On behalf of and in close collaboration with the institution of environment, measurements and conservation of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg (Landesanstalt für Umwelt, Messungen und Naturschutz Baden-Württemberg/LUBW/ see http://www.lubw.baden-wuerttemberg.de/) an innovative regionnalisation concept has been developed. This concept allows the supply of flood, mean or low flow parameters for 10 790 sites in Baden-Württemberg and an evaluation of the predicted impact of climate change on the flood situation.

The extensive data basis for this regionalisation concept with numerous input parameters and varied result reporting made it necessary to select an appropriate database structure.

New software was developed to help with the calculations, notably for:

– upgrading the official areal water system register (Gewässerkundliches Flächenverzeichnis/GKFV)

– proofing tools to maintain consistency

– automatic parameter derivation with the software ESRI^© ArcInfo.

The results were published in electronic form and included a stand-alone geo-information software for easy and fast retrieval of data and results.

The objective of this article is to describe the implementation of these new concepts for coupling Geographic Information System (GIS) and database needs to reach the identified requirements.