Evaluation of Flood Hazards and Impacts on the Environment: A Case Study of Louisville, Kentucky, USA, Using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

This study evaluates flood hazards and environmental impacts in Louisville, Kentucky, using remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). A comprehensive flood risk assessment framework was developed utilizing various data, including: digital elevation model, land use/land cover, soil, boundary, stream network, precipitation, and road data. These data were used for delineation, discretization, parameterization, and simulation of flooding events-a flood hazard map identified high, medium, and low-risk areas, with infrastructure at risk evaluated. Notably, high-hazard regions are located near stream networks. The demographic analysis revealed that males reside predominantly in high and medium hazard areas, Ages 22-29 and 30-39 are concentrated in southwest high and medium-hazard regions; Younger populations (<5, 5-17, 18-21) and older adults (40-49, 50-64) reside in central and northwest medium and low-hazard areas. This study shows flood water distribution is influenced by bottlenecks and critical points during specific discharges, impacting local populations in the environment. Key findings inform flood risk management strategies, infrastructure planning, and emergency response initiatives, ultimately enhancing resilience in Louisville.