Rare Satellite Data Reveal Major Limits in Flood Models

Rare satellite data reveal major limits in flood models

The Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine was destroyed on June 6, 2023. The event unleashed a catastrophic flood that forced thousands of residents to evacuate their communities as water levels rose 10 feet (3 meters) above normal.

Rare NASA satellite data reveals major limits in flood models

Georgia Tech researchers tested how well existing outburst flood models reproduced the actual event to find the models consistently underestimated flood conditions. Even improved models struggled to accurately capture the height and timing of floodwaters.