Publication details
The increasing flashiness in the Czech Republic: Natural variability or recent climate change?
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Peer-reviewed scientific article |
| Magazine / Source | Journal of Hydrology-Regional Studies |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581826000571 |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2026.103159 |
| Keywords | Flash floods; Flashiness index; Physiographic parameters; Catchment runoff; Hydrological response |
| Attached files | |
| Description | Study region: This study examines catchments in the Czech Republic that have generated flash floods in the past, with a focus on hydrological response and physiographic parameters. Study focus: The hydrological response of events with peak discharges exceeding the one-year return period during the summer half-year was evaluated using the flashiness index. Catchments were categorized into clusters I-III based on physiographic parameters, employing principal component analysis and k-medoids clustering. To evaluate Czech flash floods, a descriptive flashiness metric was computed for both the Czech and European flash-flood datasets, enabling cross-regional comparison. New hydrological insights for the region: The results revealed an increase in 1-h flashiness during the recent period from 2018 to 2023 compared to 2005-2010, observed across all three clusters. The highest flashiness values were recorded in a group of small, steep catchments characterized by high terrain roughness, maximum elevations, a dense river network, and compact shape. A comparison of flash floods in the Czech Republic with those in Europe and the Mediterranean indicated that Czech flash floods generally exhibit lower unit peak discharge and 1-h flashiness values, although they can occasionally reach extreme intensities significant within the European and Mediterranean contexts. |
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