The Flood project is a web-based intervention designed to visualize the impact of hydropower dam constructions. Users can input their home address to see how the construction of a hydropower dam would effect the area, simulating the gradual rise of water. The tool is written in Javascript for the Google Earth Engine (GEE) geospatial analysisor.
Test the simulator in Google Earth engine
See the code in google Earth engine
This tool seeks to challenge the prevailing narratives of hydropower by using a personal and visceral approach to mapping. It aims to engage users in a deeper reflection on the cost vs. benefits of hydropower from an individualized perspective, considering both environmental and cultural consequences.
- Dam Simulator: Users can input their address and simulate the flooding caused by a hydropower dam, with the water level rising gradually.
- Geospatial Data: Uses real-world elevation data to visualize flooding based on real-world dam reservoir sizes modeled after the Akkajaure reservoir in Sweden.
- Visualization: Displays a series of progressive maps showing the land disappearing under rising water levels.
- Google Earth Engine: A cloud-based platform for planetary-scale geospatial analysis, used for fetching and processing elevation data.
- JavaScript: Backend code for handling user input, map rendering, and simulating the flood.
- Python: Used for scraping and analyzing media data about hydropower.
- Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/altsaxofon/flood.git
- The web application is hosted on Google Earth Engine, so the tool can be accessed directly via: Flood Web App
- Elevation Data: ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) v3
- Media Review: Svenska Tidningar from the Swedish National Library