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Airborne Laser Scanning and Aerial Hyperspectral Imaging Technologies in Disaster Management: Hungary, Kolontár Red-Mud Spill

Problem Description / Relevance to Water Security: 

On October 4, 2010 the embankment of the red mud reservoir failed and released a mixture of 600-700 thousand cubic meters of red mud and water. The mud, a byproduct of refining aluminium from bauxite ore, was dangerously alkaline, extremely salty and contained potentially toxic metals like chromium and vanadium. Lower parts of the settlements of Kolontár, Devecser and Somlóvásárhely villages were flooded. Ten people died, and another 120 people were injured. The red mud flooded 800 hectares of surrounding areas.

ICT Application / Outcome: 

Survey and analysis of the effects of red mud disaster-prone area and information service for authorities:

Airborne LIDAR Technology for Sustainable Watershed Management: Ecological Health of Riparian Zones

Problem Description / Relevance to Water Security: 

Airborne LIDAR measurements principally lead to the highly accurate 3D reconstruction of the landscape and its features. By mounting LIDAR measurement units on an aircraft large areas can be measured relatively quickly and cost effectively. Airborne LIDAR measurements can then be used to reconstruct a bare earth landscape as well as featured landscape which includes vegetation, buildings and other. These landscape reconstructions can then be used for a number of applications such as archeology, water and coastline management, farming, forestry, geology and conservation.

ICT Application / Outcome: 

Michez et al. (2013) examine the application of LIDAR data to monitor the ecological riparian zones, which are of concern in most parts of Europe due to the European Water Framework Directive. As a transition zone between dry and wet environments riparian areas are typically high in ecosystem productivity and biodiversity. The authors use LIDAR point cloud data to derive a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and canopy height model which allows for establishing general riparian zone attributes and ecological integrity.

Airborne LIDAR Technology for Sustainable Watershed Management: Red River Basin

Problem Description / Relevance to Water Security: 

Airborne LIDAR measurements principally lead to the highly accurate 3D reconstruction of the landscape and its features. By mounting LIDAR measurement units on an aircraft large areas can be measured relatively quickly and cost effectively. Airborne LIDAR measurements can then be used to reconstruct a bare earth landscape as well as featured landscape which includes vegetation, buildings and other. These landscape reconstructions can then be used for a number of applications such as archeology, water and coastline management, farming, forestry, geology and conservation.

ICT Application / Outcome: 

Southern Manitoba has a long history of flooding events which has led to significant damages in the region over the years. The Red River Valley (RRV) is a disaster hot spot in the United States and a multi-million dollar floodway was built to protect the City of Winnipeg from floodwaters in Canada (see Figure 1). The spring melt of 2011 brought with it simultaneous flooding events in most of Southern Manitoba (Public Safety Canada 2013). The Assiniboine and Souris River Basins which typically do not have excess floodwaters were also gravely affected in 2011.

Application of Multi-Sensor Remote Sensing for Flood Protection Planning Over the Sajó Valley

Problem Description / Relevance to Water Security: 

The project was set up following the flooding of 2010, when Hungary experienced a record rainfall in May and June and consequently a nation-wide flood came about on smaller and larger rivers. The most affected areas and settlements were in the Sajó valley. An approximately 100 year return period flood wave arrived to the Hungarian border in June 2010 that increased to a once-in-200 year flood on the lower parts of the river.

ICT Application / Outcome: 

The Sajó valley airborne laser scanning and aerial digital imagery have been made on 121 km2 area in Hungary (17th June 2013), and on 190 km2 area in Slovakia (17-18th July 2013).