Title: Leveraging satellite imagery for urban flood mapping and damage assessment

Advisor: Dr. Mirela Tulbure, faculty fellow and professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources

Abstract: One-eighth of urban areas in the U.S. are at high risk of flooding due to human development and increasing precipitation. Flood maps of past events can help decision-makers recover from past events and prepare for future ones. Satellite imagery is a useful dataset for mapping past flood events; however, its effectiveness and accuracy are rarely assessed in dense urban areas. This dissertation addresses this gap in urban flooding by (1) developing a satellite-based urban flood model, (2) assessing satellite-based flood depth estimates, and (3) calculating the correlation between satellite-based flood maps and building damage. More accurate methods for urban flood mapping will help emergency managers, city planners, and residents adjust to the rising risk of flooding.