GIS simulations of the inundation risk in the coastal lowlands of the Northern Adriatic sea (Q1876759)

This text presents considerations used for visualizing inundation risks of coastal regions. The focus is on the northern Adriatic sea and such a study is especially meaningful there because of wonderful towns like Ravenna and Venice which are menaced by the impact of the sea due to fragile coastlands. The authors use cartographic information to estimate elevations and the types of land use in various areas. The risk is visualized by coloring the different regions with shades. It takes account of long-term effects (the sea level rise expected to be half a meter in 2100, land settlement due to groundwater utilisation, gas production and sedimentation (more than 2mm per year)), short-term effects like storms and the value of the menaced area. The results show that an averaged normalized risk factor roughly doubles over a period of 100 years.