Use of Hydrological–Hydraulic Modelling in Community Processes for Building Socio-Environmental Risk Management: A Systematic Review

The aim of this systematic literature review was to analyse how hydrological–hydraulic modelling, through the assessment of surface stormwater runoff behaviour, can support the participatory management of socio-environmental risks such as flooding, flash floods, and landslides. For this, 31 publications dating from 2015 to 2025 were selected from Scopus, ScienceDirect and Web of Science databases, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines, to examine the importance of integration between modelling and community participation for risk management. The results indicate that, despite recent advances, most studies still prioritise either the technical application of modelling or community participation, without articulating the two approaches in risk analysis and management processes. There is a scarcity of methods that effectively combine local knowledge into the collaborative construction of scenarios and in the continued use of modelling as a tool for monitoring flood risks to disseminate community information. It was observed that studies carried out in developing countries use simpler methods, using community participation as an alternative to the absence of data. In developed countries, however, studies use more advanced methodologies through institutionalised processes. In contexts marked by high vulnerability, the integration of community participation and technical tools, such as hydrological–hydraulic modelling, represents a promising pathway toward more equitable and efficient risk management practices, aligning with sustainability agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).