Assessment of the risk of flooding in an urbanized area in response to heavy rains: case study of the warsaw chopin airport

The paper presents the adaptation of the hydrodynamic Storm Water Management Model(SWMM) for the subcatchment area of the Służewiecki Stream in Warsaw, the major part of whichis the area of the Chopin Airport. The SWMM model was used for calculating the water outflowfrom the studied urbanized area in response to rainfall with the probabilities of 20 and 10%, andthen to assess the possibility of flooding as a result of rainwater spillage from the Airport drainagesystem. The scope of the work also comprised assessing the impact of the existing retention tanksat the Airport on the reduction of maximum flows in the Służewiecki Stream channel. Simulationsin response to the rainfall event with a probability of 10% have shown that there are locations(sewer manholes) within the airport area where short-term rainwater overflows may potentiallyoccur. Retention of rainwater in tanks and flow control through gate valves have a significantimpact on a reduction of flows in the Słuzewiecki Stream, thus reducing the risk of flooding in thestudied catchment area.