Case-study /
Study on the impact of Climate Change on the Urban Plan of Nhon Binh Ward, Quy Nhon City
Dr. Michael DiGregorio and Mr. Huynh Cao Van undertook a study of the role of urbanization in increasing the severity of a 2009 flood in Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam. By interviewing residents of the floodplain, they were able to understand how successive generations had adapted to this flood prone environment and how urbanization had changed flood patterns and levels. They used satellite images, infrastructure records, and official estimates of damage to develop transects of the delta to explain this. Dr. To Quang Toan developed a hydrological model that confirmed what DiGregorio and Van had learned from people living in the floodplain. Dr. Toan then assessed the potential impacts of planned construction in the floodplain under current conditions and under conditions of sea level rise and climate change. Their research concludes that flood data from extreme events should replace flood frequency tables as a tool in planning for floodplain development. They conclude with recommendations on how to modify existing urban plans for the area.
Methods and tools
Ethnographic research; GIS, satellite imagery, hydrological modeling, and flood damage analysis.
Key messages
Using an extreme event, like a major flood, offers an experiential and empirical means of understanding the potential impacts of urbanization and climate change in flood prone areas.