• Wednesday, February 14, 2024

  • CUI

  • Shama Munir

In order to share the most recent basic statistics about floodplain modelling, the data requirements, and its potential use in the context of urban flood management in Pakistan, the UNESCO Water Chair on Knowledge Systems for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in cooperation with the Department of Civil Engineering organized a seminar on December 20, 2023, titled "Introduction to Floodplain Modelling". The seminar started with recitation of Holy Quran verses and a welcome note presented by member UNESCO Chair CUI Wah Campus/Lecturer, Engr. Summera Fahmi Khan. She presented the UNESCO Water Chair role and highlighted the importance of the Chair being an effective platform for knowledge sharing. The seminar's objective was to provide introduction to computer models, hydrology and hydraulic floodplain modelling differences and use of TUFLOW modelling software but also provided the opportunity to identify and test flood mitigation scenarios which are cost effective and are beneficial for the wider community.

The seminar presentation was represented by two speakers. The main speaker, Principal water consultant, Mr. Habib Rahman has over 30 years of experience in areas of catchment and floodplain modelling and flood management using various hydrologic and hydraulic software systems, also has the honor of inventing a special flood modelling technique, the Direct Rainfall method, which is used worldwide. He is the pioneer of 1D/2D modeling in Australia. He significantly delivered his knowledge and research on differences of hydrologic and hydraulic modelling, contributed to the update of Australia Rainfall and Runoff, which is the cardinal guideline for flood management in Australia. He also discusses the challenges with audiences in urban flood modelling and management in regions of Pakistan.

 The other on-line speaker, Chris Huxley the author of TUFLOW software, which is the state of the art two dimensional floodplain modelling software used worldwide. Chris is a leading expert in floodplain modelling and has extensive experience in undertaking flood studies of complex nature. He displayed his floodplain 2D modelling using TUFLOW software for specific case study regions of Australia. At the end of the seminar, Chris also answered the questions mentioned by online participants and the student's audience related to difficulties faced in TUFLOW software modelling. The faculty members from the CUI Wah Campus, University of Wah, HITEC University Taxila, UET Taxila, professionals from NESPAK and graduate/ undergraduate students from these universities attended the seminar.

In his final remarks, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Abid, T.I., the UNESCO Chair on Knowledge Systems for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), stressed the importance of creating capacity in the adaptation of evolving technologies in floodplain management and mitigation strategies. He showed his concerns about social impacts at the national level due to losses of flooding. He expressed gratitude to the Australian resource persons and the organizing team, particularly the CUI Wah Campus ICE chapter, for their hard work in putting this session together. The Chair also congratulated everyone for coming and helping to make the occasion a success.


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