The applied research and development cooperation of VRVis with the Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy and Mobility Rhineland-Palatinate (MKUEM) includes several major parts. It builds on the heavy rainfall-runoff model, which has already been implemented using viscloud, and enables versatile applications in water management for different target groups. The project includes an interactive model that simulates river flood scenarios for the entire state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
New measures for flood risk management in Rhineland-Palatinate
The new VRVis system for Rhineland-Palatinate will be available to a variety of users and will be tailored to the specific needs of each user group. Via a browser, all residents of the state will be able to access a simplified version that will allow them to individually map the risk of flooding and inundation. This represents an important step toward awareness and preparedness. The 3D visualization is low-threshold and intuitive, an important tool for communicating personalized risk in the area of heavy rainfall and flooding. Thus, the model is part of the seven-point plan to improve flood preparedness and supports the improvement of risk communication, flood notification and flood early warning service.
Further development & optimization through interaction
By having different user groups interact with the model, this digital twin will be continuously updated and its details improved. In one part of the project, the VRVis research team will also couple the viscloud hydrodynamic software with external weather forecasts and point level forecasts. The goal is to produce local forecasts for river floods and heavy rainfall for the whole of Rhineland-Palatinate in this way. In exchange with the MKUEM, new area-wide flood hazard maps are being developed.
Climate communication
The digital flood twin is intended to sensitize the citizens of Rhineland-Palatinate to the risk situation with regard to heavy rain and flooding as well as prevention. The 3D visualizations are intuitively understandable; no prior knowledge is required to understand them. In future, every citizen will be able to check the own address for flood risk online and free of charge and investigate the personalized risk using this visualizations. An important contribution to effective climate communication.
More information
Head of Integrated Simulations Group, Integrated Simulations
waser(at)vrvis.at +43 1 908 98 92 509Start: 05.2023
End: 12.2026
Ministerium für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Energie und Mobilität Rheinland-Pfalz (MKUEM)
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