Trends in Flooding in Europe and North America - an Extreme Value Approach

Abstract: This study examines minimally altered catchments in Europe and North America in order to determine whether any changes to the dynamics of flooding have occurred due to changes in the climate. By examining the parameters of the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distributions of individual catchments it is possible to determine not just if changes in flood patterns have occurred, but also the nature of these changes. The main conclusion of the study was that the scale parameters of catchments in North America have increased over time. The effects on return levels, however, were inconclusive, where despite significant individual trends, no global or regional patterns were found.