Mikko Huokuna

Finnish Environment Institute | ymparisto

Space-borne remote sensing techniques enable near real-time mapping of floods cost-efficiently. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and optical sensors are the most suitable for flood detection. However, SAR has become more popular, due to the independence of sunlight and weather conditions, and the increasing data availability. Typical spring floods oc...

In a river with seasonal ice covers, river ice effects must be considered in the design and operation of water control structures such as dams, barrages, and spillways. The regulation of flow and the water levels of rivers and reservoirs have several hydrological, socio-economic, and ecological effects. Regulation alters river-ice regimes by modify...

Delineation of flood hazard and risk on maps is useful as a means of public education and as a basis for measures aimed at lessening future flood damages. In many northern countries, rivers and streams are prone to ice-related flooding that often results in higher water levels and more extensive damages than open-water events. Procedures and standa...

Identifying and understanding flood hazard and risk is the requisite first step in enhancing public safety, emergency response planning and future flood damage reduction. The delineation and mapping of flood hazard, inundation and risk areas is an effective way to communicate these vulnerabilities. Procedures and standards for flood mapping for ope...

Northern reservoirs, lakes, and rivers are often regulated for hydro-power production, flood control, navigation, recreation, water supply, or a combination of these purposes. Regulation can be inter-annual, seasonal, short-term, or a combination of these depending upon the need to store or utilize water. Using dams, spillways, and other water cont...

Flood maps are essential tool for land use and rescue services planning as well as promoting flood awareness. European Union Floods Directive requires flood hazard and risk maps and flood risk management plans for significant flood risk areas. The first planning cycle for the flood risk management ended in 2015. According to national feedback from...

The river Tornionjoki and the twin city of Tornio and Haparanda on the border of Finland and Sweden is known for ice jams. There have been multiple ice jam floods along the river during the last century that have caused monetary losses. Since the beginning of 2014 flood damage compensation in Finland is paid by insurance companies instead of the go...

A large number of rivers are frozen annually and the river ice cover has an influence on the geomorphological processes. These processes in cohesive sediment rivers are not fully understood. Therefore, this paper demonstrates the impact of river ice cover on sediment transport, i.e. turbidity, suspended sediment loads and erosion potential, compare...

This guide brings together information on flood occurrence, resulting damage and general flood risk management, with a focus on matters that need to be considered when determining the lowest recommended building elevations for the shore areas of inland waters and coastal areas. In addition to this, the guide takes into account the consideration of...

The main objectives of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) application in flood risk management are to support systematic and transparent evaluation of alternatives, and to facilitate discussion in a multi-stakeholder group. MCDA also helps to create a common evaluation framework and language among participants representing different expertise....

The town of Pori is located at the mouth of the Kokemäenjoki River in the southwest Finland. The Kokemäenjoki River is known for harmful winter floods. There used to be ice break-up jams almost every spring in Pori, but the risk for spring ice jams decreased after the watershed regulation was started about 40 years ago. However, when winter comes t...

A numerical model developed in Finland is being used to evaluate the effects of various flow characteristics and operating strategies on the ice regime of rivers; associated problems and remedial measures are then investigated. During its development and refinement period, the model has been used to study most of the major rivers in Finland, and al...

The River Kalajoki with its watershed of 4 260 km 2 is a typical river in Ostrobothnia area. There are only few lakes in the watershed of the river and its discharge varies quite strongly during a year. During winter the discharge is below 10 m 3 /s, during break-up 130 – 300 m 3 /s and the highest observed discharge is 469 m 3 /s. The mean slope o...

Vesitalous 46(5): 10-13., 0505-3838