Modelling floodplain inundation on a regulated river: integrating GIS,remote sensing and hydrological models

The lower River Murray in South Australia is highly regulated through weirs and water extraction for irrigation. Management of the river for environmental purposes requires an understanding of the extent of floodplain inundation from various flows and weir manipulations. This study aimed to produce a floodplain inundation model for the 600 km long and 1–5 km wide portion of the River Murray in South Australia from the New South Wales border to Lake Alexandrina. The model was developed using a Geographical Information System (GIS), remote sensing and hydrological modelling. Flood inundation extents were monitored from Landsat satellite imagery for a range of flows, interpolated to model flood growth patterns and linked to a hydrological model of the river. The resulting model can be analysed for flows ranging from minimum flow to a 1‐in‐13‐year flood event for any month and weir configuration and has been independently tested using aerial photography to an accuracy of approximately 15% underestimate. The results have proven the approach for determining flood inundation over a large area at approximately one‐tenth of the cost of detailed elevation and hydrodynamic modelling. The GIS model allows prediction of impacts on infrastructure, wetlands and floodplain vegetation, allowing quantitative analysis of flood extent to be used as an input into the management decision process. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.