Articles | Volume 26, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2469-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2469-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Review article
| 
12 May 2022
Review article |
| 12 May 2022
| 12 May 2022
Flood generation: process patterns from the raindrop to the ocean
Günter Blöschl
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management,
Vienna University of Technology, Karlsplatz 13/223, 1040 Vienna, Austria
Invited contribution by Günter Blöschl, recipient of the EGU Dalton Medal 2019.
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Cited
22 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Impacts of spatial-temporal rainfall structures and antecedent wetness on flood variability at the catchment scale W. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135019
- Evolution of flood generating processes under climate change in France Y. Tramblay et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-7023-2025
- Spatially coherent changes in Chinese annual flood peaks revealed by a consensus-based machine learning framework for regionalization J. Weng et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134665
- Rhine flood stories: Spatio‐temporal analysis of historic and projected flood genesis in the Rhine River basin E. Rottler et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14918
- Associated influence of moisture sources and catchment drivers on the flood mechanism of a tropical basin R. Choudhary & C. Dhanya https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135363
- Assessing flooding characteristics and loads on bridge piers in a mountainous stream using a hybrid hydrological, hydraulic, and computational fluid dynamics framework J. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15732479.2026.2677613
- Causes, seasonality and climate variability of floods in southern Brazil V. Kuchinski & R. Cauduro Dias de Paiva https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2026.2651371
- Impacts of sea-level rise on groundwater inundation and river floods under changing climate X. Yu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128554
- Synchronization of global peak river discharge since the 1980s Y. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02427-6
- Flood risk to population in Italy: a synoptic overview based on fatality data P. Salvati et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129892
- Increasing hourly heavy rainfall in Austria reflected in flood changes K. Haslinger et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08647-2
- Hyper-resolution flood hazard mapping at the national scale G. Blöschl et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-24-2071-2024
- Intercomparison of flood inundation models across land use types and hydrological flood stages P. Nikrou et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135410
- Werden die Hochwasser größer? Ursachen, Trends und Handlungsoptionen G. Blöschl https://doi.org/10.1007/s00506-025-01165-5
- Contingent partitioning and adaptation in hydrological systems J. Phillips https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.2567
- Processes and controls of regional floods over eastern China Y. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4883-2024
- Megafloods in Europe can be anticipated from observations in hydrologically similar catchments M. Bertola et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01300-5
- Soil moisture and precipitation intensity jointly control the transit time distribution of quick flow in a flashy headwater catchment H. Türk et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3935-2025
- Three hypotheses on changing river flood hazards G. Blöschl https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5015-2022
- Five principles for hydrology in the era of managed waters G. Blöschl https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-026-00657-2
- The Timing of Global Floods and Its Association With Climate and Topography P. Torre Zaffaroni et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR032968
- Explaining spatial variation and catchment characteristics thresholds in streamflow response A. Amorim Brandão et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135492
22 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Impacts of spatial-temporal rainfall structures and antecedent wetness on flood variability at the catchment scale W. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135019
- Evolution of flood generating processes under climate change in France Y. Tramblay et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-7023-2025
- Spatially coherent changes in Chinese annual flood peaks revealed by a consensus-based machine learning framework for regionalization J. Weng et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134665
- Rhine flood stories: Spatio‐temporal analysis of historic and projected flood genesis in the Rhine River basin E. Rottler et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14918
- Associated influence of moisture sources and catchment drivers on the flood mechanism of a tropical basin R. Choudhary & C. Dhanya https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135363
- Assessing flooding characteristics and loads on bridge piers in a mountainous stream using a hybrid hydrological, hydraulic, and computational fluid dynamics framework J. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15732479.2026.2677613
- Causes, seasonality and climate variability of floods in southern Brazil V. Kuchinski & R. Cauduro Dias de Paiva https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2026.2651371
- Impacts of sea-level rise on groundwater inundation and river floods under changing climate X. Yu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128554
- Synchronization of global peak river discharge since the 1980s Y. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02427-6
- Flood risk to population in Italy: a synoptic overview based on fatality data P. Salvati et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129892
- Increasing hourly heavy rainfall in Austria reflected in flood changes K. Haslinger et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08647-2
- Hyper-resolution flood hazard mapping at the national scale G. Blöschl et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-24-2071-2024
- Intercomparison of flood inundation models across land use types and hydrological flood stages P. Nikrou et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135410
- Werden die Hochwasser größer? Ursachen, Trends und Handlungsoptionen G. Blöschl https://doi.org/10.1007/s00506-025-01165-5
- Contingent partitioning and adaptation in hydrological systems J. Phillips https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.2567
- Processes and controls of regional floods over eastern China Y. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4883-2024
- Megafloods in Europe can be anticipated from observations in hydrologically similar catchments M. Bertola et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01300-5
- Soil moisture and precipitation intensity jointly control the transit time distribution of quick flow in a flashy headwater catchment H. Türk et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-3935-2025
- Three hypotheses on changing river flood hazards G. Blöschl https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5015-2022
- Five principles for hydrology in the era of managed waters G. Blöschl https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-026-00657-2
- The Timing of Global Floods and Its Association With Climate and Topography P. Torre Zaffaroni et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR032968
- Explaining spatial variation and catchment characteristics thresholds in streamflow response A. Amorim Brandão et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135492
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 03 Jun 2026
Short summary
Sound understanding of how floods come about allows for the development of more reliable flood management tools that assist in mitigating their negative impacts. This article reviews river flood generation processes and flow paths across space scales, starting from water movement in the soil pores and moving up to hillslopes, catchments, regions and entire continents. To assist model development, there is a need to learn from observed patterns of flood generation processes at all spatial scales.
Sound understanding of how floods come about allows for the development of more reliable flood...
