Citation

Maantay J, Maroko A. Appl. Geogr. 2009; 29(1): 111-124.

Affiliation

Urban Environmental Geography, Director of GISc Program and Urban GISc Lab, Department of Environmental, Geographic, and Geological Sciences, Lehman College, City University of New York, 250 Bedford Park Blvd.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.apgeog.2008.08.002

PMID

20047020

PMCID

PMC2680302

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the importance of disaggregating population data aggregated by census tracts or other units, for more realistic population distribution/location. A newly-developed mapping method, the Cadastral-based Expert Dasymetric System (CEDS), calculates population in hyper-heterogeneous urban areas better than traditional mapping techniques. A case study estimating population potentially impacted by flood hazard in New York City compares the impacted population determined by CEDS with that derived by centroid-containment method and filtered areal weighting interpolation. Compared to CEDS, 37 percent and 72 percent fewer people are estimated to be at risk from floods city-wide, using conventional areal weighting of census data, and centroid-containment selection, respectively. Undercounting of impacted population could have serious implications for emergency management and disaster planning. Ethnic/racial populations are also spatially disaggregated to determine any environmental justice impacts with flood risk. Minorities are disproportionately undercounted using traditional methods. Underestimating more vulnerable sub-populations impairs preparedness and relief efforts.

Language: en