Spatio-temporal variation of flood vulnerability at the Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone, Jiangxi Province, China

For a long time areas of Poyang Lake have been threatened by floods. It is therefore important to assess flood vulnerability in this area. A composite flood vulnerability index was developed using an indicator approach to detect spatial distribution and temporal variation of flood vulnerability in the Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone (abbreviated to PLEEZ). Thematic maps of flood vulnerability showed a spatially ring-shaped distribution. The flood vulnerability ranking of one unit negatively correlated with the distance between the unit and the lake. Although flood vulnerability in PLEEZ declined significantly, the spatial distribution hardly changed from 1997 to 2006. The degree of flood vulnerability is highly related to exposure; variations in flood vulnerability are influenced by sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Based on correlation analysis, three proxies were identified as determinants of flood vulnerability variation over the past 10 years. This approach could provide policymakers with important flood risk information and entry points for flood management.