Shukla et al. (2025) Application of UAV based High Resolution DEM for Flood Management – Case of Mata-no-Madh, Kachchh, Gujarat India

Identification

• Journal: ISPRS annals of the photogrammetry, remote sensing and spatial information sciences
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-12-19
• Authors: Paritosh Shukla, Ripal Chavda, Milan Gautami, S. K. Solanki
• DOI: 10.5194/isprs-annals-x-5-w2-2025-629-2025

Research Groups

• Water Resources Department (WRD), Government of Gujarat (GoG), India
  • Central Flood Control Cell
  • Central Designs Organisation

Short Summary

This study addresses recurrent flooding in Mata-no-Madh, India, by employing a comprehensive geospatial assessment, including UAV-based high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), to design and implement a water recharge tank for flood mitigation and groundwater replenishment. The approach proved effective and replicable for climate-adaptive infrastructure planning.

Objective

• To develop and implement a data-driven flood management strategy for Mata-no-Madh village using advanced geospatial technologies, culminating in the design and construction of a water recharge tank to mitigate flooding, divert runoff, and facilitate groundwater recharge.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Mata-no-Madh village, Lakhpat Sub-District, Kachchh, Gujarat, India. The study area is approximately 12 square kilometers (1200 hectares), with UAV survey coverage of 14.2 square kilometers.
• Temporal Scale: The study addresses recurrent flooding experienced in recent years. The design and construction of the intervention were completed within an 18-month timeframe, with the project expected to face its first wet season in 2025.

Methodology and Data

• Models used:
  • QGIS Hydrological Analysis module (for catchment computation).
  • Spreadsheet-based computational model compliant with IS 6512 (for weir stability analysis).
  • In-house spreadsheet-based tool aligned with IS 12169 (for earthen embankment design).
  • Agisoft Metashape (for aero-triangulation, bundle block adjustments, orthomosaic, Digital Surface Model (DSM), and Digital Terrain Model (DTM) production).
  • Emlid Studio (for Post-Processed Kinematic (PPK) processing).
  • Global Mapper (for overall data processing and orthomosaic creation).
• Data sources:
  • Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data (30-meter resolution) for preliminary assessment.
  • ISRO’s BHUVAN portal datasets (hydrology and elevation layers) for cross-validation and enhanced elevation accuracy.
  • UAV-based photogrammetry survey using a Hexacopter (Falcon) with PPK/RTK capabilities:
    • 6081 images collected.
    • Flying altitude: 156 meters.
    • Ground resolution: 0.032 meters per pixel.
    • 26 Ground Control Points (GCPs) established using Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) (Emlid RS2), with a total Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.0608 meters.
  • Local geographical and infrastructure data from government departments and local self-government (for ownerships and flooding information).
  • Open-source tools for watershed delineation, drainage patterns, contour lines, and hillshade models.

Main Results

• A comprehensive geospatial assessment successfully delineated watershed and catchment areas, cross-validated with ISRO's BHUVAN portal.
• High-resolution DEMs (0.256 meters per pixel, elevation range 69 meters to 208.39 meters) and updated land-use maps were generated using UAV photogrammetry, resolving land ownership ambiguities and enabling precise site selection.
• A suitable location was identified for a flood mitigation and water retention structure, a Water Recharge Tank.
• The design of the Water Recharge Tank adhered to Indian Standards (IS: 6966 (Part-1):1989, IS: 12169-1987) and Government of Gujarat guidelines.
• The finalized design includes:
  • A concrete waste weir, 21 meters long, with a total height of 4 meters (1.0 meter above average ground level, 2.20 meters above stilling basin).
  • An upstream gross storage capacity of 114,560 cubic meters.
  • An earthen embankment 201 meters long.
  • A tail channel 560 meters long for safe diversion of a design discharge of 96 cubic meters per second.
  • Proposed additional culverts to manage design discharge.
• The rapid, data-centric approach enabled timely intervention, with the design and construction completed within 18 months.
• Expected outcomes include successful stormwater management, flood mitigation, groundwater sustainability, and improved access to the village during monsoon seasons.

Contributions

• Demonstrates a rapid, data-centric, and cost-effective approach for flood management and climate-adaptive infrastructure planning in regions with complex topography by integrating global satellite data (SRTM), national geospatial portals (BHUVAN), and high-resolution UAV-based surveys.
• Provides a replicable model for similar flood resilience projects, already inspiring interventions in nearby areas like Kamala Sarovar and Taliyari.
• Highlights the transformative potential of high-resolution UAV data in overcoming limitations of traditional surveys and coarse satellite data for precise engineering design, land-use planning, and decision-making.
• Facilitated the efficient design and construction of a multi-functional water recharge tank, addressing both flood control and groundwater replenishment, with an optimized cost-benefit ratio.

Funding

• Not explicitly stated in the provided paper text.

Citation

@article{Shukla2025Application,
  author = {Shukla, Paritosh and Chavda, Ripal and Gautami, Milan and Solanki, S. K.},
  title = {Application of UAV based High Resolution DEM for Flood Management – Case of Mata-no-Madh, Kachchh, Gujarat India},
  journal = {ISPRS annals of the photogrammetry, remote sensing and spatial information sciences},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.5194/isprs-annals-x-5-w2-2025-629-2025},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-x-5-w2-2025-629-2025}
}