Extreme flood return levels in a U.S. mid-Atlantic estuary using 40-year fluvial-coastal model simulations

Abstract Using an integrated watershed-coastal modeling framework, we conducted long-term historical simulations (1980-2019) of fluvial and coastal flooding in the Delaware Bay and River, a vulnerable estuarine system in the U.S., at high spatial resolutions. By applying process-based models, we gen...

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Main Authors: Mithun Deb, Ning Sun, Zhaoqing Yang, Taiping Wang, David Judi, Matthew G. Cooper, Mark S. Wigmosta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Scientific Data
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05566-9
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author Mithun Deb
Ning Sun
Zhaoqing Yang
Taiping Wang
David Judi
Matthew G. Cooper
Mark S. Wigmosta
author_facet Mithun Deb
Ning Sun
Zhaoqing Yang
Taiping Wang
David Judi
Matthew G. Cooper
Mark S. Wigmosta
author_sort Mithun Deb
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Using an integrated watershed-coastal modeling framework, we conducted long-term historical simulations (1980-2019) of fluvial and coastal flooding in the Delaware Bay and River, a vulnerable estuarine system in the U.S., at high spatial resolutions. By applying process-based models, we generated physically consistent and spatially detailed estimates of estuarine, riverine, and surge-driven extreme water level compared to previous studies that used field data only. We then evaluated changes in the magnitude of flood events using the 40-year simulations and detrended Floodwater Depth values with stationary extreme value analysis. Our detailed assessment of spatial-varying extreme values revealed how different flood-generation mechanisms can dominate various zones in the estuary. The datasets produced through this work will be valuable for long-term flood hazard mitigation planning in coastal communities in the Delaware Bay and River region. Additionally, this work will serve as a benchmark for other coastal flood hazard modeling communities worldwide, aiding them in systematically modeling long-term and continuous extreme flood events.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2052-4463
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publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Data
spelling doaj-art-35ad0c76a9114a12ba2839324a6091622025-08-24T11:07:33ZengNature PortfolioScientific Data2052-44632025-08-0112112210.1038/s41597-025-05566-9Extreme flood return levels in a U.S. mid-Atlantic estuary using 40-year fluvial-coastal model simulationsMithun Deb0Ning Sun1Zhaoqing Yang2Taiping Wang3David Judi4Matthew G. Cooper5Mark S. Wigmosta6Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory, Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryEnergy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryMarine and Coastal Research Laboratory, Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryMarine and Coastal Research Laboratory, Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryEnergy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryAtmospheric, Climate, and Earth Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryEnergy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National LaboratoryAbstract Using an integrated watershed-coastal modeling framework, we conducted long-term historical simulations (1980-2019) of fluvial and coastal flooding in the Delaware Bay and River, a vulnerable estuarine system in the U.S., at high spatial resolutions. By applying process-based models, we generated physically consistent and spatially detailed estimates of estuarine, riverine, and surge-driven extreme water level compared to previous studies that used field data only. We then evaluated changes in the magnitude of flood events using the 40-year simulations and detrended Floodwater Depth values with stationary extreme value analysis. Our detailed assessment of spatial-varying extreme values revealed how different flood-generation mechanisms can dominate various zones in the estuary. The datasets produced through this work will be valuable for long-term flood hazard mitigation planning in coastal communities in the Delaware Bay and River region. Additionally, this work will serve as a benchmark for other coastal flood hazard modeling communities worldwide, aiding them in systematically modeling long-term and continuous extreme flood events.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05566-9
spellingShingle Mithun Deb
Ning Sun
Zhaoqing Yang
Taiping Wang
David Judi
Matthew G. Cooper
Mark S. Wigmosta
Extreme flood return levels in a U.S. mid-Atlantic estuary using 40-year fluvial-coastal model simulations
Scientific Data
title Extreme flood return levels in a U.S. mid-Atlantic estuary using 40-year fluvial-coastal model simulations
title_full Extreme flood return levels in a U.S. mid-Atlantic estuary using 40-year fluvial-coastal model simulations
title_fullStr Extreme flood return levels in a U.S. mid-Atlantic estuary using 40-year fluvial-coastal model simulations
title_full_unstemmed Extreme flood return levels in a U.S. mid-Atlantic estuary using 40-year fluvial-coastal model simulations
title_short Extreme flood return levels in a U.S. mid-Atlantic estuary using 40-year fluvial-coastal model simulations
title_sort extreme flood return levels in a u s mid atlantic estuary using 40 year fluvial coastal model simulations
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05566-9
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