Identification and mapping of flood prone zones and drainage blocked areas in Owerri municipal

AUTHORS: UgwuOkwudili John, Baywood C. N. and Anoshiri O. B.

ABSTRACT:Flood is one of the most serious environmental disaster influencing the developing countries of the world. It is a body of water which rises and overflow the land surface. The aim of the study is to identify and map for prone areas in Owerri owing block drainage routes by using remote sensing and GIS. The study was also designed to predict the flow of runoff in the study area using digital elevation model (DEM). Ground information was also observed during field visit to ascertain the accuracy of the study. The primary and secondary dataset were utilized in the study to achieve the aim of the study. The ArcGIS 10.4 software was the major software adopted for the study, for geospatial analysis and for map preparation. The topographic map adopted for the study was from SRTM digital elevation model, which was acquired from the USGS Earth Explorer website. The spatial analyst tool in the ArcGIS software was utilized for extracting the study area surface contours within the SRTW digital elevation model (DEM). The hydrological spatial analysis was observed with the DEM of Owerri municipal, for generating the drainage routes in the study area. The DEM of the study area was analyzed for the prediction of the flow of the runoff. The results of the study shows that GIS and Remote Sensing can be used for the identification of obstacles which can hinder the drainage system that exist within the study area.