An Integrative Review and Conceptual Framework for Flood Resilience in Brazil: SWAT+GWFlow, Rock Dust, and Socio-Hydrological Governance

Abstract

Flood risk in Brazil is intensifying under the combined pressures of climate change, land-use transformation, urban expansion, and institutional fragility. Although hydrodynamic flood models, watershed-scale hydrological models, and governance studies have each advanced substantially, they are often examined independently. This study presents an integrative literature review and conceptual framework that links current knowledge on watershed modelling, soil-management interventions, sustainable land management, and socio-hydrological governance, with particular emphasis on the complementary roles of HydroPol2D and SWAT+GWFlow and rock dust soil amendments. The review draws on peer-reviewed literature published between 2000 and 2025 to examine advances in flood modelling, surface–groundwater interactions, agricultural land management, and institutional approaches to flood-risk reduction. The analysis indicates that HydroPol2D is valuable for high-resolution flood inundation and impact assessment, while SWAT+GWFlow provides a stronger representation of long-term watershed processes, including land use, soil-water interactions, and groundwater dynamics. The analysis further suggests that rock dust amendments may improve soil structure, infiltration, and water retention under certain conditions, potentially contributing to runoff attenuation. However, the review does not claim that rock dust has been empirically demonstrated to reduce flood damage at the watershed scale; rather, it identifies this as an important hypothesis for future modelling and field validation. A central contribution of this study is the development of an integrated socio-hydrological governance framework that connects hydrological modelling with adaptive decision-making, emergency planning, land-management strategies, and stakeholder participation. The findings suggest that effective flood resilience in Brazil requires not only improved simulation tools, but also stronger hydrometeorological monitoring, interdisciplinary collaboration, and closer integration between science, policy, and society. The proposed framework advances interdisciplinary understanding of flood resilience by integrating hydrological modelling, sustainable land management, and governance into a unified conceptual approach applicable to climate adaptation and watershed management in Brazil.