Implementation of Geodesign Framework for Development of Flood Resilient Hill Town: A Case Study

Flooding is a natural disaster characterized by the inundation of land areas due to the overflow of water from its usual channels. Various natural and man-made factors are responsible for the occurrence of floods and the damage caused by them. Floods have become more dangerous in the Himalayan region because of complex topographical features and extreme climatic conditions. In recent years, the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh has experienced a number of devastating floods due to its proximity to the Beas River and the hilly terrain which caused collective damage to man-made as well as natural resources, leading to loss of lives and property. Recognizing the urgent need for flood resilience, the present study aims to develop a flood-resilient town through a geodesign framework that will reduce the impact of floods in hilly areas. The study uses a three-stage geodesign framework that involves data collection, data analysis, and geodesign-based flood-resilient plan modeling. In the first stage, the data pertaining to historical floods and geospatial data of the study area was collected. In the second stage, flood susceptibility mapping was done to identify vulnerable communities and assess critical infrastructure at risk based on the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). In the third stage, interactive three-dimensional (3D) modeling was done in ESRI CityEngine to develop a flood-resilient model for the study area which integrates geospatial data, flood simulation, land-use planning, and stakeholders’ engagement. The results of this study show that by focusing on flood resilience, this model offers a valuable insight and practical approach for shaping the development in hilly areas that can withstand and adapt to the challenges of increasing flood occurrences.