INQUA 2453 my: Palaeo-Hydrology: Ancient disasters, modern application (PHADMA)

PHADMA project targets the global spatial and temporal distribution of past hydrological extremes, to improve the quality of risk assessments, and modern flood event attribution.

Abstract

A rapidly warming climate has led to an intensification of the hydrological system, notably with an increase in extreme hydroclimatic events, such as floods and droughts. Risk assessment studies and mitigation strategies for the present and future depend heavily on monitored data. Unfortunately, the length of monitored series is limited, rarely spanning more than a century, and usually significantly shorter for peripherical regions. Hence, true evidence-based precedents for extreme hydrological events are often missing. The lack of such crucial baseline information is increasingly recognised as a weakness in modern event attribution studies. Such, there is a growing concern that our fundamental knowledge of the natural variability within the hydroclimate system may be limited. The field of palaeohydrology can greatly strengthen attribution studies and further our understanding of the potential future of hydroclimatic extremes. As part of the GLOCOPH (INQUA’s Global Continental Palaeohydrology working group), the PHADMA project aims to bridge the gap between the palaeo-data community, climate modellers and risk managers by seeking new approaches to utilise and implement information on extreme hydrologic events (floods and droughts) derived from palaeo-environmental and historical research.

Objectives:

• To increase our knowledge of the global spatial and temporal distribution of past hydrological extremes;
• To support risk assessments and modern extreme event attribution studies;
• To stimulate the transfer of knowledge and to develop multi-disciplinary skills.

Project Leaders:

• Dr. Willem Toonen, the Netherlands
• Dr. Ray Lombardi, United States of America
• Dr. Ankit Agarwal, India