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InfoWorks RS Model as
Supporting Tools for Managing
Sarawak River Basin by Engr. Charles Bong Hin Joo, Ir. Hii Ching Poon and
Prof. Frederik Josep Putuhena
In a feature article published in the June 2008 issue Logical Framework for Integrated
of JURUTERA, the authors introduced the concept Flood Management
of integrated hydrosystem approach for managing the The Sarawak River Basin is prone to flooding. Though
Sarawak River Basin [1]. The use of Logical Framework flooding is a frequent occurrence in the basin (the most
as an integration tool was also demonstrated for managing severe flood occurred from 25-28 January 1963), major
and developing water supply in the Sarawak River Basin. floods seems to be occurring more frequently in recent
In this article, the authors will demonstrate how hydraulics years with water rising between 1m to 3m for some low
modelling could be used as a supporting tool in developing lying localities in the basin.
the Logical Framework for Integrated Flood Management Some examples are the floods from 3-5 February 2003,
in the Sarawak River Basin. 23-26 January 2004, 28-29 December 2006, and the most
Table 1: Logical framework for Sarawak river basin integrated flood management
Narrative Summary Verifiable Indicators Means of Verification Important Assumptions
Ultimate Goal 1.0 Economic growth increase. 1.0 SPU Annual Report. 1.0 Participation of all stakeholders to
To reduce the excessive flood damages at 2.0 Property and crops value increase. 2.0 DID Sarawak Annual Flood Report. success integrated Flood
Batu Kitang and Batu Kawa 3.0 Live losses prevented. Management.
4.0 Health and hygenie improved.
Objectives 1.0 Information transmits among the 1.0 SPU enforce policy that every related Objectives to Ultimate Goal
1.0 GIS flood map in used by various departments become faster and precise. department to use the GIS Flood map 1.0 Effective law enforcement on
departments. 1.1 Stakeholders able to make and to restrict the development on the floodplain.
2.0 Early flood warning and forecasting decision based reliable information Floodplain. 2.0 Joint operation rules for Early Flood
center in operation. 2.0 Less complaint from public. 2.0 DID Sarawak Annual Flood Report. Warning and Forecasting Center and
3.0 Evacuation centers in operation. 3.0 The flood victims able to be provided Electronic notice board at the main Evacuation Center.
4.0 Community education. stay, food and medical care. road. 3.0 Integrated Water Resources
4.0 Public knowledgeable to evacuate Management is enhanced.
using the right path before flood.
Outputs 1.0 Mapping using GIS can be carried out. 1.0 Land and survey reports from Outputs to Objectives
1.0 Thorough ground information 1.1 Information sharing among the Land and survey department. 1.0 Funds are available.
survey been collected. departments can be achieved. 1.1 Coordination among the 2.0 Each department sharing the single
1.1 Single Geographical information 1.2 GIS able to trace the latest changes on departments which lead by ICTU. GIS platform.
System (GIS) platform for various the ground. 1.2 Annual report by ICTU. 3.0 Proper operation of Early Flood
departments' usage has been 2.0 Land price increase. 2.0 Annual report from Land and Warning System and Evacuation
developed. 2.1 Population growth increase. Survey Department. Center.
2.0 GIS has been updated from time 2.2 More housing and commercial center 2.1 More income for MBKS. 4.0 All Stakeholders concern and
to time. been built up. 3.0 Annual report from Land and participate in the Integrated Flood
3.0 Early flood warning and forecasting 3.0 Land price increase. Survey Department. Management.
center has been setup. 3.1 Population growth increase. 3.1 More income for MBKS.
4.0 Evacuation centers are completed. 3.2 More housing and commercial center 3.2 More housing and commercial
5.0 Public awareness increase. been built up. center been built up.
4.0 Public able to get information easily, 4.0 Fewer damages and live losses reported.
either through mass media or related 4.1 Hygiene during flooding period improved.
department webpage.
Activities Inputs Costs Activities to Outputs
1.0 Thorough ground information 2.0 Budgets. 1.0 Budgets. 1.0 Funds are available.
survey on topographical and 3.0 Other Pre-requirements 2.0 Other Pre-requirements. 2.0 Each department has the facilities
landuse information. 4.0 Staff and Technicians. of GIS.
1.1 Set up Single Geographical 5.0 Researchers. 3.0 Approval for the Early Flood
Information System (GIS) platform 6.0 Workshops and Coordination 4.0 All Stakeholders participate in the
for various departments' usage. meetings. programme.
1.2 Continuous effort to ensure the GIS
has been updated from time to time
2.0 Setup an early flood warning and
forecasting center.
2.1 Human resources and community
development.
3.0 Construction of evacuation centers.
4.0 Community Education programme.
10 Jurutera January 2011 (To be continued at page 12)
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recent from 10-13 January 2009 and 29-30 January 2009.
The floods in the basin usually occur during heavy rainfall
which coincides with high tides. A logical framework
for integrated flood management was developed by the
authors in the hope that this framework would serve as
a guide for stakeholders in managing flood for the basin
(see Table 1).
Infoworks RS for Flood Modelling in
the Sarawak River Basin
A hydraulics model for the Sarawak River Basin was
developed by the authors using the InfoWorks River
Simulation (RS) software. To demonstrate, the model
was utilised to have an inundation analysis along the river Figure 1: Model simulation of the Sarawak river basin for the January
2004 flood event
corridor for the January 2004 flood event (see Figure 1) by
incorporating two mitigation structures, i.e. the Kuching was presumably taken as a reference point and beyond 2m
Barrage and the upcoming flood bypass channel. The river would inflict drowning. Some localities such as Batu Kawa
model had computed floodwater level and flood maps at had a record flood level of up to 6m.
different time steps. The rate of floodplain submergence would be a reflec-
The authors proposed an extraction of those data to have tion of the river flooding severity. The higher the value of
a rate of floodplain submergence from river bankfull level to this rate indicates the more vulnerable the location is to
a depth of 2m. By taking the basis that, (1) a normal adult fast rising and widespread floodwater. Table 2 has a dis-
height is about 1.6m, (2) human settlements were known to play of floodwater rising from bankfull level to 0.5m, pro-
be close to the river, (3) most of the village houses outside gressively to 1m, 1.5m and 2m together with its associated
Kuching were single-storey dwellings, a flood depth of 2m time and affected length.
Table 2: Estimation of rise and spread of floodwaters from the Sarawak river
January 2004 Flood Event Simulation Results
Flood Levels from Bankfull
1st 0.5 m 2nd 0.5 m 3rd 0.5 m 4th 0.5 m Remarks
LA
t L/t* L A
t L/t* L A
t L/t* L A
t L/t*
Lower Sungai Sarawak
1.816 0.40 4.541 1.816 0.40 4.541 1.816 0.40 4.541 1.816 0.40 4.541 Rank 1
Pending 2.005 0.40 5.012 2.005 0.40 5.012 2.005 0.40 5.012 2.005 0.40 5.012 Rank 2
Kuala Maong
Upper Sungai Sarawak
4.636 2.40 1.932 4.636 2.40 1.932 4.636 2.40 1.932 4.636 2.40 1.932
Batu Kawa
Sungai Sarawak Kanan
1.929 7.00 0.275 1.903 4.20 0.451
Tondong 2.186 1.20 1.822 2.212 1.55 1.427 2.240 3.05 0.737 2.240 4.40 0.507
Siniawan
Sungai Sarawak Kiri
1.531 1.20 1.278 1.613 5.25 0.307
Kampung Landeh
Notes:
*Rate of floodplain submergence =
Length of affected area from river bank towards
an urban center within the Intended time [L in km]
Time of floodwater reaching the intended level [t in hour]
from bankfull level
Pending, Tondong and
Kampung Landeh have peak
flood depth less than 2 m
12 Jurutera January 2011
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Table 3: Sub-logical framework for Sarawak river basin flood management
Goal Objective Verifiable Indicators (OVI)
This would relate to the dedication to Flood Smilarly, this would relate to the measurement of reducing injuries, deaths and properties damage caused by
Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency floods at the basin level.
Response at the Sarawak River basin level.
Popular
• Practicing of an automatic (realtime) This would relate to the achievement of the impact indicators set out below and the merging realisation of
flood early warning system strengthening local authorities and communities capacities in flood preparedness. This is an exercise for the
• Community-based cooperation stakeholders of the Sarawak River basin management.
Outputs
• Timely evacuation of community in the • Identified area from modelling outputs:
identified areas
• Timely decision to minimise Priority Location Rate of Submergence
damages to properties 1 Kuala Maong 5.8
2 Pending 4.5
3 Batu Kawa 1.9
4 Siniawan 1.8
5 Kpg Landeh 1.3
6 Tondong 0.4
Lower Sarawak River is found to be the most critical to river flooding.
Activities • Estimated time factor from modelling outputs:
• Test against time to evacuate
Location with more than Time to reach 2m flood depth
2m flood depth from bankfull
Kuala Maong 1 hour 25 min
Batu Kawa 16 hours 25 min
Siniawan 11 hours
Taking the most critical time, evacuation should be carried out within one and half hour.
• Estimated effected length of flooded area from river bank from modelling outputs:
• Test against route to evacuate
Location with more than Time to reach 2m flood depth
2m flood depth from bankfull
Kuala Maong 2.091 km
Batu Kawa 4.785 km
Siniawan 2.240 km
Route to evacuate should be outside the flood zone.
• Test against when to warn • Need to link up with Meteorological Department.
• Test against mechanism to warn etc. • Need to link up with Rivers Board as authority in Operation Plans.
Sub-Logical Framework for Flood Early CONCLUSION
Warning System Hydraulics modelling, when used together with Logical
As mentioned earlier in this article, a wider picture of the Framework, is an excellent tool to support the decisions
framework in descriptive nature has been provided; this on flood management measures. This article has shown the
section attempts to demonstrate an analytical in nature utilisation of river basin modelling incorporated into the
flood management framework inferred from the Sarawak development of a sub-logical framework which is part of the
bigger logical framework.
River Basin modelling outputs. In this study, a flood early
warning system guided by hydro-informatics is described
Acknowledgement
– logical framework efforts that showed logic sequences This paper is partially extracted from the ‘Hydrosystem for
and impact indicators for improved flood relief activities Integrated Control of Flood and Low Flow for a River Basin
in Kuching city which is located in the basin. The in Sarawak’ project funded by the Ministry of Science,
significance of this section is, therefore, to portray river Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysia, under the
modelling outputs in influencing the decision making ScienceFund grant (04-01-09-SF0004). n
processes. This section concentrated on a smaller sub-
framework (Table 3) which identifies the priority areas REFERENCE
most likely in need of emergency notification, critical [1] Bong, C.H.J. and Putuhena, F.J. (2008). “Logical Framework for
time for evacuation and most effective route for relief. Managing Sarawak River Basin through Integrated Hydrosystem
Approach”. Bulletin of The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, ISSN:
0126-9909, Bil. 2008, No.6, pp. 16 -19.
January 2011 Jurutera 13
