Use of gauged and remote sensing data to improve the implementation of the hydraulic flood forecasting model of the the Fitzroy River (Western Australia)

Flooding is one of the most common, widespread and destructive natural disaster. Even in Australia, commonly credited to be a driest inhabited continent, it causes fatalities and costly damages. The purpose of this thesis is to study the behaviour and the effects of an extreme flooding event occurred in Kimberley region (Western Australia) at the turn of 2016 and 2017. The main character is the Fitzroy River, the largest watercourse in Western Australia in terms of discharge. Hydraulic flood forecasting model was chosen as way to approach the issue. A multi objective analysis was carried out to evaluate the model: the comparison between gauged observed and simulated data was supported by the use of remote sensing data. Indeed, satellite images were particularly suitable for the Fitzroy river application: they capture information about surface water in areas that are remote, inaccessible, extremely large or dangerous to approach, such as during floods.