Articles | Volume 29, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-1525-2025
© Author(s) 2025. 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-29-1525-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
20 Mar 2025
Research article |
| 20 Mar 2025
| 20 Mar 2025
Constructing a geography of heavy-tailed flood distributions: insights from common streamflow dynamics
Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, 106319, Republic of China
Ralf Merz
Institute of Geosciences and Geography, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
Department Catchment Hydrology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research, Halle (Saale), Germany
Stefano Basso
Department of Geography, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, 7491, Norway
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Short summary
Extreme floods are more common than expected. Knowing where these floods are likely to occur is key for risk management. Traditional methods struggle with limited data, causing uncertainty. We use common streamflow dynamics to indicate extreme flood propensity. Analyzing data from Atlantic Europe, northern Europe, and the US, we validate this novel approach and unravel intrinsic linkages between regional geographic patterns and extreme flood drivers.
Extreme floods are more common than expected. Knowing where these floods are likely to occur is...
