Integrated evaluation of flood mitigation measures : a multidisciplinary approach combining hydrology, economics, and public perception

Graham, Hannah Claire (author), Akhtar, Fazlullah (author), Šraj, Mojca (author), Raška, Pavel (author), Slavíková, Lenka (author), Louda, Jiří (author), Macháč, Jan (author), Zupanc, Vesna (author), Bezak, Nejc (author)

Increased flooding is becoming more prevalent under an increasingly variable future of weather extremes, highlighting the need for effective mitigation strategies. Different flood mitigation measures are available, ranging from classical structural (grey) solutions to nature-based solutions (NbS). This study assessed and compared the hydrological effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and public perception of green (NbS), grey, and hybrid flood mitigation measures in the Gradaščica River catchment, Slovenia. For the hydrological assessment, a SWAT + model simulated wetland, retention polder, and dam scenarios. Results showed that wetlands had a minimal effect on flood hazard, reducing flood peaks by up to 3 %, while retention polders and dams reduced flood peaks by 51 % and 73 % and flood volumes by 28 % and 58 %, respectively. The economic analysis found wetlands to be less cost-effective than retention polders and dams. However, it should be noted that wetlands provide additional diverse co-benefits. The public perception analysis revealed significant discrepancies in perceived effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of flood mitigation measures across target groups, including the general public, water engineers, researchers, and agricultural advisors. While most groups ranked dams as most effective and wetlands as least effective, aligning with hydrological findings, researchers held a directly opposing view, and the public generally overestimated the performance of green measures. By examining hydrological effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and public perception across flood mitigation measures, the research highlights the need to integrate multidisciplinary approaches to develop robust flood management strategies – an essential lens as communities confront escalating climate-driven flood risks.

• Language: English
• Keywords: flood management, flood mitigation measures, nature-based solutions, NbS, cost-effectiveness analysis, public perception, multidisciplinary approach
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FGG - Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering; BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 14 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 132, art. 105926
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-182825
• UDC: 502/504:556
• ISSN on article: 2212-4209
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105926
• COBISS.SI-ID: 259589379
• Publication date in RUL: 25.05.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: International journal of disaster risk reduction
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 2212-4209
• COBISS.SI-ID: 519686169

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: obvladovanje poplav, ukrepi za zmanjševanje poplav, NBS, na naravi temelječe rešitve, analiza stroškovne učinkovitosti, javno mnenje, multidisciplinarni pristop