Hi, Marina.  I think that the GIS approach is a great tool for reconnaissance studies prior to the field work needed to develop relatively accurate flood maps that can be used for planning, regulating and design activities in a basin. Perhaps my perspective is related to living in USA where FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Administration) flood maps are required in essentially all communities for management of flood plains. I can see the tool being applied in countries now developing as a "first cut" to make general decisions on developments. But then this initial interpretations need to be validated with field surveys of historical floods.

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Hi, Marina.  I think that the GIS approach is a great tool for reconnaissance studies prior to the field work needed to develop relatively accurate flood maps that can be used for planning, regulating and design activities in a basin. Perhaps my perspective is related to living in USA where FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Administration) flood maps are required in essentially all communities for management of flood plains. I can see the tool being applied in countries now developing as a "first cut" to make general decisions on developments. But then this initial interpretations need to be validated with field surveys of historical floods.