GIS-based hydrodynamic modeling for urban flood mitigation in fast-growing regions: a case study of Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

This paper addresses a critical issue of urban flash floods in Erbil and presents a new approach to model and identify flood-prone areas using HEC-RAS 2-D hydrodynamic model, where there has been no such work previously. The novelty of the work lies in discussing the challenges of accurately assessing and modeling flood hazards in this area, particularly regarding the availability and reliability of data.

The findings of this study state that the effects of flash flooding in Erbil in the areas shown are due to their location that is located on the waterways, and even the areas that were flooded in the first month of 2022 in the city center were waterways in the past. Therefore, the reseachers believe that serious and practical steps must be taken in order to lessen the effects of floods, which will allow for runoff to be collected, utilized, and stored in order to increase groundwater levels. Currently, certain areas of the city are experiencing water shortages during the warm summer months, and the level of groundwater has decreased by a sizeable level.