A study published in the journal Scientific Data by hydrologists at The University of Texas at Arlington provides an unprecedented global assessment of human impact on natural floodplains. This research could inform future development strategies aimed at restoring and protecting important floodplain ecosystems that are critical for wildlife, water purity, and minimizing flood risks to humans.


A new study provides the first global assessment of human changes to natural floodplains, highlighting significant losses over 27 years and providing insights for restoring and protecting these vital ecosystems. Collaboration using satellite data and geospatial analysis techniques highlights the urgent need for smart development strategies to mitigate flood risks and protect biodiversity hotspots in these regions.

Adnan Rajib, assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at UT Arlington, is the first author of the study. His doctoral student Qianjin Zheng played an important role in the research process.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists Charles Lane, Heather Golden and Jay Christensen, Itohaosa Isibor of Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and Kris Johnson of The Nature Conservancy also participated in the study. This work was supported by grants from NASA and the National Science Foundation.

Rajib said: "The bottom line is that the world faces greater flood risks than we realize, especially given the impact of human development on floodplains. Over the 27 years from 1992 to 2019, due to human interference, including infrastructure development, industrial and commercial construction

The research team used satellite remote sensing data and geospatial analysis techniques to study 520 major river basins around the world and discovered previously unknown spatial patterns and trends in human floodplain changes.

"Mapping the world's floodplains is relatively new. While there is growing awareness of the need to accurately map floodplains and understand flood risk, attempts to map human disturbance in these floodplains on a global scale have never been attempted," said Rajib, who is also director of UT Arlington's Hydrology and Hydroinformatics Innovation Laboratory. "Studies like this have been done in smaller parts of the world, certainly including the United States and Europe, but not in data-poor parts of the world."

The study concluded that wetland habitats are at risk, with one-third of total global floodplain wetland loss occurring in North America. Flood plains are at greater risk than previously thought. He and his team studied satellite images of these floodplain areas taken over the past 27 years.

Zheng said: "We want to study floodplains at a community level and want to know the impact of development on the people who live near the floodplains. Some of the changes in these images are good, such as planting trees or building parks, but many show disturbing results, such as "a dramatic increase in the development of parking lots or the construction of buildings without adequate provisions for stormwater runoff."

Johnson, co-author of the paper, said: "Globally, floodplains are hotspots for biodiversity and provide a wide range of ecosystem services to humans. We hope this study will shed light on how much we are losing this important habitat. "

Melanie Sattler, chair and professor of civil engineering, said the study should provide planners with an important tool to reduce people's risk of flooding.

Sattler said: "Rajib's work can serve as a lens to help us guide future development to reduce vulnerability to flooding in a changing climate. In some cases, we hope this research will help us correct past mistakes in development decisions."