Chiara Arrighi

Flood risk assessment in art cities: the exemplary case of Florence (Italy)

Flood risk assessment is a crucial step for flood risk management purposes, thus answering the requirements of the European Flood Directive 60/2007/EC (European Commission). In this work, a census data scale, which has been considered as a good compromise between spatial resolution and availability of open socio-economic data, is adopted for risk analysis. The damage categories included are structures, household contents and the most representative economic activities in the city of Florence (Italy). Moreover, since Florence is an important art city, a preliminary evaluation of risk to cultural heritage is carried out. Data from hydraulic simulations, historical reports of the devastating 1966 flood and the cultural heritage recognition sheets allow estimating and mapping the annual expected number of works of art lost in the absence of risk mitigation strategies.

Flood risk assessment of environmental pollution hotspots

Abstract The potential spread of pollutants stored in environmental hotspots such as wastewater treatment plants, waste handling facilities, contaminated sites, etc., is among the adverse consequences of floods. This aspect has been rarely examined with a risk-based approach, although required by the European legislation. In this study, a method for estimating flood risk caused by environmental hotspots is developed. Risk includes flood hazard, hotspots exposure, and the expected severity of the environmental impacts, obtained as the combination of vulnerability of the surrounding environment and pollution potential of the hotspots. The assessment is performed at catchment scale on a geographical basis, using open data, available from databases of public bodies and environmental agencies. Risk maps obtained by the application of the developed method are produced for the Arno river catchment in Tuscany (central Italy). The area hosts approximately 1750 environmental pollution hotspots among which 5–10% have been classified at high risk.