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Flash Flood Risk Assessment of the Great Kwa River Basin Using Analytical Hierarchy Process

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Abstract

This study investigated the physiographic as well as meteorological characteristics of the Great Kwa River Basin (GKRB), with the following objectives: to assess the influence of the drainage characteristics of the GKRB to flash flooding, to produce a composite flash flood risk map of the GKRB using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and to proffer flash flooding mitigation and management strategies for the GKRB. The flash flooding indicators evaluated were as follows: rainfall, absolute height, slope, distance from flow path, soil, land use, and land cover. The various input variables were analyzed using Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) software while the drainage characteristics were extracted using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The weights of the various criteria were determined using the AHP. The weighted linear combination method was adopted for the determination of the composite flash flood hazard index. The composite flash flood index map was prepared with three categories: high (≥ 0.4), moderate (0.3–0.4), low (≤ 0.3) flash flood hazard areas. The results revealed that the GKRB has an above average potential to flash flooding considering the proportion of order 1 streams to all the stream orders within the drainage network. The composite flood risk map revealed that the upper and middle catchments are prone to moderate-to-high flash flooding risks while a low-to-moderate potentiality to flash flooding in the lower catchment was obtained. The understanding of the roles of the flash flooding indicators provides useful information for the effective management of the flooding hazard for the GKRB.

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The data and materials are available on request and can be obtained from the first author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Cross River University of Technology, Calabar, Nigeria

    Nkpa Mba Ogarekpe

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

    Chidozie Charles Nnaji

  3. Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Chidozie Charles Nnaji

  4. Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

    Chidozie Charles Nnaji

  5. Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

    Maurice George Ekpenyong

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  1. Nkpa Mba Ogarekpe
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The study was conceptualized by NO. The data collection and analysis were carried out by NO. NO, CN, and ME wrote the paper.

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Correspondence to Nkpa Mba Ogarekpe.

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Ogarekpe, N.M., Nnaji, C.C. & Ekpenyong, M.G. Flash Flood Risk Assessment of the Great Kwa River Basin Using Analytical Hierarchy Process. Water Conserv Sci Eng 7, 599–611 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41101-022-00167-8

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