U.S.- Italy Research Workshop on the

Hydrometeorology, Impacts, and Management of Extreme Floods

Perugia (Italy), November 1995

THE 1994 FLOOD OF THE GIOFYROS BASIN ON THE

CRETE ISLAND:

A CASE STUDY OF RISK-BASED FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT

J. Ganoulis

Professor of Hydraulics

Department of Civil Engineering

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

54006 Thessaloniki, Greece

Engineering Risk Analysis and Multi-Objective Decision-Making Under Risk are considered as a general framework for floodplain management and protection from extreme floods. Distinction is made between (a) the catchment or large scale planning and (b) the local or small scale design of protection measures. After defining the risk of flooding at different scales and multiple criteria for selecting among alternative measures of floodplain protection and management, the methodology is illustrated in the of Giofyros Basin, Crete Island, where a devastating flood occurred in January, 1994. Possible remedial structural and non-structural solutions are analyzed which may protect the inhabited area and important public buildings from future extreme floods.