Urban Flood Modeling
Pluvial and combined-sewer flood risk modeling for cities using OpenLISEM, HEC-RAS 2D, and EPA SWMM — built for planners, not just engineers.
Urban flooding is rarely a single-cause problem — it's rainfall, undersized drainage, and land-use change interacting at once. Our urban flood modeling practice is built specifically around that complexity.
Methodology
We use OpenLISEM for spatially distributed surface runoff simulation across complex urban catchments, EPA SWMM for stormwater and combined-sewer network analysis, and HEC-RAS 2D where overland flow and channel interaction both matter. Models are built on high-resolution DEMs (LiDAR where available, else photogrammetric or SRTM-derived) with land-cover-informed roughness and infiltration parameters.
Why It Matters
The output isn't just a hazard map — it's a prioritized list of where drainage upgrades, green infrastructure, or land-use controls will have the greatest risk-reduction impact per dollar spent, framed for planners and budget-holders as much as for engineers.
Core Capabilities
- OpenLISEM
- HEC-RAS 2D
- EPA SWMM
- Rainfall-Runoff Simulation
- Surface Runoff Modeling
- Urban Catchment Modeling
- Stormwater Network Analysis
- Drainage Design
- Flood Risk Assessment
- Climate Resilience Studies
- Green Infrastructure Planning
- Flood Mitigation Strategies
Software & Tools
Ready to scope your project?
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Request ConsultationOur process for this service
Discovery & Data Collection
We assess your objectives, gather available data, and identify gaps that need to be filled before analysis begins.
Modeling & Analysis
Our engineers and analysts build, run, and refine the models or spatial analysis needed to answer your question.
Validation & QA
Results are checked against observed data, independent methods, or field conditions before anything is finalized.
Delivery & Capacity Building
We deliver a documented, decision-ready output and, where useful, walk your team through how to use and maintain it.
Start your urban flood modeling project
Share a few details about your study area and timeline — a specialist will follow up with a scoped estimate.