Construire une chronique d’inondations : événements hydrologiques et histoire climatique dans le bassin de l’Arve (Alpes du Nord, France) entre les XVIIIe et XXIe siècles

Les crues de l'Arve en octobre 1930

Genève face à la catastrophe, 1350-1950. Un retour d'expérience pour une meilleure résilience urbaine par Emmanuel Garnier (review)

Flood marks and descriptions of past floods in archival records are valuable sources of information to complement the often short – and sometimes lacunary – systematic records provided by gauge stations, especially in mountain and smaller catchments for which the network of recording stations is still fragmentary. Yet, historical accounts of floods are only rarely used to calculate discharge during past floods and to complement estimates of flood frequency and magnitude. This is because the definition of flood types and the reconstruction of past topography of the now urbanized riverscapes is often challenging. Here, we employ an approach by which we combine (i) archival (1331–1965) and continuous gauge (1966–2020) records of past floods, (ii) information on past topography and mitigation measures found on topographic maps and contemporary documents specifying the dimensions of contemporary engineering plans and (iii) a hydraulic model to derive a c. 700-year history of flood activity and related discharges for the Saltina River, Brig-Glis (Valais, Swiss Alps). Periods of increased flood activity match with flood-rich episodes in the Rhone River and high lake levels at Lago Maggiore (Ticino), and the time series passes stationarity tests since at least 1828 CE. For a total of 32 floods occurring prior to the installation of the gauge station in 1966, we provide discharges following a descriptive classification, and demonstrate that major floods occurred in 1755 (∼140 m3s−1), 1828 (∼160 m3s−1), and 1921 (∼120 m3s−1). We also evidence that the construction of mitigation measures has contributed to a reduction in flood frequency, but that the occurrence of extraordinary floods has again been on the rise since the early 21st century. 

Historical flood reconstruction in a torrential alpine catchment and its implication for flood hazard assessments

. In France, flooding is the most common and damaging natural hazard. Due to global warming, it is expected to globally exacerbate, and it could be even more pronounced in the European Alps that warm at a rate twice as high in the Northern Hemisphere. The Alps are densely populated, increasing exposure and vulnerability to flood hazard. To approach long-term evolutions of past flood occurrence and related socio-economic impacts in relation to changes in the flood risk components (i.e. hazard, exposure and vulnerability), the study of historical records is highly relevant. To this aim we analyze the newly constituted database of Historical Impacts of Floods in the Arve Valley (HIFAVa) located in French Northern Alps and starting in 1850. This database reports for the first-time flood occurrences and impacts in a well-documented Alpine catchment that encompasses both a hydrological and societal diversity. We analyze past impacts in regard to their characteristics and evolution in both time and space. Our results show an increasing occurrence of impacts from 1920 onwards, which is more likely related to indirect source effect and/or increasing exposure of goods and people rather than hydrological changes. The analysis reveals that small mountain streams and particularly glacial streams caused more impacts (67 %) than the main river. While increase in heavy rainfall and ice melt are expected to enhance flood hazard in small Alpine catchments, this finding calls to pay a particular attention to flood risk assessment and management in small catchments.

/pdf/geo-historical-analysis-of-flood-impacts-in-alpine-13e7exvsqa.pdf

Geo-historical analysis of flood impacts in Alpine catchments (HIFAVa database, Arve River, France, 1850–2015)

Abstract. In France, flooding is the most common and damaging natural hazard (CCR, 2021). Global
warming is expected to exacerbate flood risk and could be more pronounced in
the European Alps which are experiencing a high warming rate, likely to lead
to heavier rainfall events. Alpine valleys are densely populated,
potentially increasing exposure and vulnerability to flood hazard. The study
of historical records is highly relevant to understand long-term flood
occurrence and related socio-economic impacts in relation to changes in the
flood risk components (i.e. hazard, exposure and vulnerability). To this aim we introduce the newly constituted database of Historical Impacts of Floods in the Arve Valley (HIFAVa) located
in the French northern Alps starting in 1850. This quite unique database reports
historical impacts related to impact events occurrences in a well-documented
Alpine catchment that encompasses both hydrological and socio-economical
diversity. After a complete description of the database (collection, content and
structure), we explore the distribution of the recorded impacts with respect
to their characteristics and evolution in both time and space. The analysis
reveals that small mountain streams and particularly glacial streams caused
more impacts (67 %) than the main river. While an increase in heavy
rainfall and ice melt are expected to enhance flood hazard in small Alpine
catchments, this finding calls for greater attention to flood risk
assessment and management in small catchments. The analysis also reveals an
increasing occurrence of impacts from 1920 onwards, for which possible
factors are discussed. Further work is, however, needed to conclude on the
respective contribution of the source effect, the increase in flood hazard,
or the exposure of goods and people.


/pdf/geo-historical-database-of-flood-impacts-in-alpine-1lesc48h.pdf

Geo-historical database of flood impacts in Alpine catchments (HIFAVa database, Arve River, France, 1850–2015)

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Geo-historical analysis of flood impacts in Alpine catchments (HIFAVa database, Arve River, France, 1850–2015)

Geo-historical database of flood impacts in Alpine catchments (HIFAVa database, Arve River, France, 1850–2015)