Development and Use of Databases to Analyze Geo-Hydrological Hazards

Dear Colleagues,

Geo-hydrological processes are now widespread in many geomorphological contexts worldwide, also due to the effects of the ongoing climate change. They are causing numerous deaths, injuries, and considerable economic damage every year due to their impact on urban areas.

Susceptibility and hazard definition, as well as the consequent risk, are fundamental for an integrated management of natural hazards. To know where and when the phenomena may occur, as well as their possible magnitude and impact, reliable databases including historical events are often necessary. The spatial–temporal accuracy of the data in a database greatly influences their related use in hazard definition. However, the probability of temporal occurrence is the least known and most difficult to assess because there are few historical series covering significant periods and geographical areas. It is therefore necessary that a database should be rigorously built, based on reliable information and data, including all those elements required for the subsequent analyses.

In recent years, the European Community has issued a series of directives to achieve common objectives for geo-hydrological risk reduction (e.g., Flood Directive 2007/60/EC) and has defined a spatial data infrastructure at European level to avoid fragmentation, lack of harmonization, and duplication of datasets, information, and sources, stressing the importance of geodatabases (Inspire Directive 2007/2/EC). 

This Special Issue aims to focus the attention on the development and use of databases to record and analyze geo-hydrological hazards, including information about landslides, floods, sinkholes, coastal processes, and the related triggering conditions, such as hydro-meteorological, seismic or human factors. Authors are encouraged to submit articles describing data collection, accuracy and precision of the selected data, organization and type of databases (geospatial, relational, etc.), database peculiarity, and compliance with EC directives. Case studies focusing on integrated approaches, ranging from data collection to application aimed at assessing or reducing geo-hydrological hazards, are particularly welcome.

Dr. Carmela Vennari
Dr. Giuseppe Esposito
Dr. Emanuela Toto
Guest Editors

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