Assessing Social Vulnerability and Understanding the Flood Risk Factors in Massachusetts
Topics: Hazards and Vulnerability
, Coupled Human and Natural Systems
, Water Resources and Hydrology
Keywords: Vulnerability, flood hazards, risk
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Friday
Session Start / End Time: 2/25/2022 03:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/25/2022 05:00 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 60
Authors:
Cielo A Sharkus, UMass Amherst
Christian David Guzman, UMass Amherst
Seda Şalap-Ayça, UMass Amherst
Eve Vogel, UMass Amherst
Christine Hatch, UMass Amherst
Karl Tacheron, UMass Amherst
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Abstract
Floods can be especially hazardous in places like Massachusetts where there is a significant chance of contaminant mobilization and transport. Evaluation of the total risk for vulnerable populations regarding flooding requires the influence of both biophysical and social factors such as social vulnerability. Researchers on social vulnerability to flood hazards have developed and used indicators like the CDC’s 15-factor Social Vulnerability Index or Massachusetts’ 3-factor Environmental Justice scale, to demonstrate the greater preponderance of these factors within flood zones, and to predict which factors predict greater social vulnerability to compounding negative effects within a flood zone. However, there may be other demographic factors outside these indices that are concentrated (or largely absent) within flood risk zones. This is an important question to better assess the flood vulnerability risk of different groups and demographic factors, target policies and programs more effectively, increase the likelihood of recovery during all stages of a disaster, decrease human suffering, and reduce economic loss. This preliminary study aims to 1) determining the clusters of various demographic information along with flood vulnerability and where they are high/moderate/and low distributed, 2) defining the most influential demographic factors in flood zones, and 3) compare the spatial clusters with areas prone to floods and flood damage, producing maps that highlight concentrated locations of flood-vulnerable demographics, and quantifying the disproportionate risk they face. The result will be also compared with demographic targeting in proposed Massachusetts flood risk protection legislation.
Assessing Social Vulnerability and Understanding the Flood Risk Factors in Massachusetts
Category
Virtual Paper Abstract
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