Flood Hazard Zone Modeling via Stream Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional flood modeling techniques face a trade-off between resolution and accuracy, often requiring significant resources and time to create highly dense models, or sacrificing accuracy for quicker, less resource-intensive low-resolution models.

Innovation Solution

The system identifies relevant stream segments, generates high-resolution flood level elevation maps, and computes flood depth maps to define flood zones for specific return periods, using hydrographic and watershed boundary datasets, along with Strahler Order calculations and cross-profile interpolation, to efficiently create accurate flood hazard zone models.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional flood models use high resolution datasets for each location point, then manufacturing precision (flood model accuracy) is improved, but loss of time and resources increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflood model accuracyVSAvoidtime to create flood model
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the flood modeling process by identifying and prioritizing relevant stream segments from the complete stream network. Instead of processing all location points uniformly, the system divides the area into zones based on proximity to relevant streams, applying different levels of analysis to different segments. This segmentation allows high-resolution modeling to be focused only where it is most critical (near relevant streams) while using lower-resolution approaches elsewhere, thereby maintaining accuracy where needed while reducing overall computational time and resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by varying the resolution and detail of flood modeling across different geographic areas. High-resolution detailed modeling is applied locally to areas adjacent to relevant stream segments where flood risk is highest, while broader areas receive less intensive modeling. This approach ensures that manufacturing precision (accuracy) is improved in critical zones without requiring high resolution across the entire study area, thus reducing the overall loss of time and resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of time

If conventional flood models use low resolution datasets, then loss of time and resources is reduced, but manufacturing precision (flood model accuracy) deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime to create flood modelVSAvoidflood model accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the flood modeling process by identifying and prioritizing relevant stream segments from the complete stream network. Instead of processing all location points uniformly, the system divides the area into zones based on proximity to relevant streams, applying different levels of analysis to different segments. This segmentation allows high-resolution modeling to be focused only where it is most critical (near relevant streams) while using lower-resolution approaches elsewhere, thereby maintaining accuracy where needed while reducing overall computational time and resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by varying the resolution and detail of flood modeling across different geographic areas. High-resolution detailed modeling is applied locally to areas adjacent to relevant stream segments where flood risk is highest, while broader areas receive less intensive modeling. This approach ensures that manufacturing precision (accuracy) is improved in critical zones without requiring high resolution across the entire study area, thus reducing the overall loss of time and resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Manufacturing precision

If conventional flood models use multiple high resolution datasets, then manufacturing precision (flood model accuracy) is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflood model accuracyVSAvoidmodel complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and isolates the most critical component for accurate flood modeling: the identification of relevant stream segments. By taking out this key element and making it the foundation of the modeling approach, the system can derive other necessary information (such as cross-profile locations and flood-prone areas) from this extracted core data. This extraction approach reduces device complexity by eliminating the need to process and integrate multiple separate high-resolution datasets, as the relevant stream segment identification serves as the primary data source from which other modeling elements are derived.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Manufacturing precision

If conventional flood models are highly dense, then manufacturing precision (flood model accuracy) is improved, but loss of energy and resources increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflood model accuracyVSAvoidresources expended
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the flood modeling process by identifying and prioritizing relevant stream segments from the complete stream network. Instead of processing all location points uniformly, the system divides the area into zones based on proximity to relevant streams, applying different levels of analysis to different segments. This segmentation allows high-resolution modeling to be focused only where it is most critical (near relevant streams) while using lower-resolution approaches elsewhere, thereby maintaining accuracy where needed while reducing overall computational time and resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by varying the resolution and detail of flood modeling across different geographic areas. High-resolution detailed modeling is applied locally to areas adjacent to relevant stream segments where flood risk is highest, while broader areas receive less intensive modeling. This approach ensures that manufacturing precision (accuracy) is improved in critical zones without requiring high resolution across the entire study area, thus reducing the overall loss of time and resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10147057B2Systems and methods for flood zone modeling
Publication Date: 2018.12.04 INTERMAP TECH
  • US10147057B2 patent drawing
  • US10147057B2 patent drawing
  • US10147057B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for flood hazard zone modeling. In one implementation, one or more relevant stream segments are identified from an input stream network. One or more cross profiles are defined for one or more selected points on the relevant stream segments, with the selected points located within a flood hazard area. A high resolution flood level elevation map is generated by interpolating flood level elevation from the selected points. A flood depth map is generated having a flood depth value for each of the selected points computed as a difference between the high resolution flood level elevation map and a terrain elevation. One or more flood zones are defined in the flood depth map. The flood zones have a positive flood depth for a return period.