Assessing future flood inundation in Nandigama through land use, land cover, and rainfall analysis

Frequent occurrences of high-intensity rainfall have made urban flooding a significant problem. In the present study, flood inundation maps were prepared for the years 2030 and 2035 based on changes in future land use and land cover (LULC) and rainfall patterns in Nandigama, located in Andhra Pradesh, India. The Hydrologic Engineering Center's Hydrologic Modelling System Hydrologic and Hydrologic Engineering Center–River Analysis System hydraulic models were used to assess future runoff and flood inundation areas for the above years. Future LULC and hydro-meteorological data were analysed and incorporated into the models. Predicted LULC maps showed a high level of agreement with actual LULC maps, as indicated by a Kappa index of 88.34%. The average peak runoff flowing out of the basin increased by 1.82%–3.43% for years 2030–2035, respectively. When considering the average inundation percentage area in Nandigama, it was found that 12.73% and 13.83% of the area flooded in both years. The study recommendations give more attention to the Nandigama flood management authority.