| Floodplains, which are prone to periodic inundations, are located near rivers or water bodies and can therefore be recognized with few difficulties. However, given the complexity of urban terrains with their support structures, and established drainage systems, flash flood hazards in urban areas may not always be identified by residents.; In this study, a methodology to combine the complexity of the topography, the landcover and the storm drainage network in an urban area with a minimal data set was developed in order to model potential flash flood zones in Carbondale, Illinois. The study used GIS and the MOUSE model, developed by the Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI), to determine potential flash flood locations.; A survey was successfully conducted to assess residents' experiences with and perceptions of flooding. The results were analyzed spatially and were used to generate maps of respondents' experiences with and perceptions of flash flood. These maps were compared to the model-generated maps of potential flash flood zones.; The survey results indicate that most of the respondents did not express any concern about flood damage. Flash flood damage is often alleviated by protective measures, and the perceived causes of flash floods are, predominantly, major rainfall events and improper storm drainage systems. The spatial analysis of survey results showed that several flash floods were observed in places where there is no conformity between the storm drainage system and the stream network or the structures.; The map of general perception of the locations of areas prone to flash floods and the map obtained from the model are correlated. However, there is a negative correlation between the maps that were obtained from respondents without past flash flood experience and the model-generated map of urban flash flood areas. Thus respondents without past flood experience are not likely to know about urban flash flood prone areas. |
