Hamidi et al. (2026) Integrating multi-source remote sensing and numerical simulation approaches for enhanced flood hazard assessment

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Hydrology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-06-27
• Authors: Ebrahim Hamidi, Brad G. Peter, Behzad Nazari, Hamed R. Moftakhari, Katherine Anarde, Hamid Moradkhani
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135933

Research Groups

• Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, The University of Alabama
• Center for Complex Hydrosystems Research, The University of Alabama
• Department of Geosciences, The University of Arkansas
• Halff, Houston, TX
• Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University

Short Summary

This study integrates multi-source remote sensing (RS) data with numerical simulations (NS) to enhance flood hazard assessment. By combining the strengths of RS and NS, this approach provides more reliable and higher-resolution flood data for decision-makers.

Objective

• Evaluate the reliability of numerical models for flood inundation mapping.
• Investigate the use of RS products for numerical model calibration.
• Explore the integration of NS and RS for poorly gauged basins.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Local to regional (Coffeyville, KS, and Texas coast)
• Temporal Scale: Hourly to daily (RS data) and 15 min to 5 min (NS simulations)

Methodology and Data

• Models used:
  • HEC-RAS 2D for Coffeyville, KS
  • Delft3D-FM for Texas coast
• Data sources:
  • Sentinel-1 SAR data
  • Sentinel-2 optical data
  • NASADEM elevation data
  • USGS gauges and river discharge records

Main Results

• The integrated approach showed up to 98% agreement between simulated and RS-based flood maps.
• The use of RS products for numerical model calibration improved the accuracy of flood simulations in poorly gauged regions.

Contributions

• This study provides a framework for integrating RS and NS data to enhance flood hazard assessment, particularly in areas with limited observational data.
• The approach can be applied to various flood-prone regions worldwide, providing more accurate and reliable flood maps for decision-makers.

Funding

• This research was funded by [project/program name] (reference code) from [funding agency].

Citation

@article{Hamidi2026Integrating,
  author = {Hamidi, Ebrahim and Peter, Brad  G. and Nazari, Behzad and Moftakhari, Hamed R. and Anarde, Katherine and Moradkhani, Hamid},
  title = {Integrating multi-source remote sensing and numerical simulation approaches for enhanced flood hazard assessment},
  journal = {Journal of Hydrology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135933},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135933}
}