Flood Risk Assessment and Zoning for Niamey and Lokoja Metropolises in Niger and Nigeria
With the increasing frequency of floods in recent decades, particularly in West Africa, many regions have faced unusual and recurrent flooding events. Communities in flood-prone areas experience heightened insecurity, loss of property, and, in some cases, serious injuries or fatalities. Consequently...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Hydrology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/12/1/17 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832588368497606656 |
|---|---|
| author | Youssoufa Doulla Nouhou Martins Yusuf Otache Salamatou Abdourahamane Illiassou Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola Appollonia Aimiosino Okhimamhe Thanh Thi Nguyen |
| author_facet | Youssoufa Doulla Nouhou Martins Yusuf Otache Salamatou Abdourahamane Illiassou Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola Appollonia Aimiosino Okhimamhe Thanh Thi Nguyen |
| author_sort | Youssoufa Doulla Nouhou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With the increasing frequency of floods in recent decades, particularly in West Africa, many regions have faced unusual and recurrent flooding events. Communities in flood-prone areas experience heightened insecurity, loss of property, and, in some cases, serious injuries or fatalities. Consequently, flood risk assessment and mitigation have become essential. This comparative study between Niamey and Lokoja employs Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to delineate flood susceptibility, vulnerability, and risk zones. The study utilized a comprehensive range of thematic layers, with weight percentages assigned to each parameter as follows: 29% for elevation, 24% for slope, 15% for the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), 9% for drainage density, 9% for distance from rivers, 4% for both precipitation and the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), and 2% each for the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and soil type. To validate these weightings, a consistency ratio was calculated, ensuring it remained below 10%. The findings reveal that 32% of the Niamey study area is at risk of flooding, compared to approximately 15% in Lokoja. The results highlight a very high flood potential, particularly in areas near the Niger River, with this potential decreasing as elevation increases. Given the current prevalence of extreme weather events in West Africa, it is crucial to employ effective tools to mitigate their adverse impacts. This research will assist decision-makers in quantifying the spatial vulnerability of flood-prone areas and developing effective flood risk assessment and mitigation strategies in the region. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b4d190b828894e78b10526fce432fd57 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2306-5338 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hydrology |
| spelling | doaj-art-b4d190b828894e78b10526fce432fd572025-01-24T13:34:55ZengMDPI AGHydrology2306-53382025-01-011211710.3390/hydrology12010017Flood Risk Assessment and Zoning for Niamey and Lokoja Metropolises in Niger and NigeriaYoussoufa Doulla Nouhou0Martins Yusuf Otache1Salamatou Abdourahamane Illiassou2Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola3Appollonia Aimiosino Okhimamhe4Thanh Thi Nguyen5Graduate Research Programme on Climate Change and Human Habitat (CC&HH), West African Centre for Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), Federal University of Technology, Minna 920101, NigeriaDepartment of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna 920101, NigeriaDepartment of Biodiversity and Climate Change, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences and Ecology, University of Diffa, Diffa BP:78, NigerInstitute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), United Nations University, 53113 Bonn, GermanyGraduate Research Programme on Climate Change and Human Habitat (CC&HH), West African Centre for Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), Federal University of Technology, Minna 920101, NigeriaOrganic Plant Production and Agroecosystems Research in the Tropics and Subtropics, Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences, University of Kassel, 37213 Witzenhausen, GermanyWith the increasing frequency of floods in recent decades, particularly in West Africa, many regions have faced unusual and recurrent flooding events. Communities in flood-prone areas experience heightened insecurity, loss of property, and, in some cases, serious injuries or fatalities. Consequently, flood risk assessment and mitigation have become essential. This comparative study between Niamey and Lokoja employs Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to delineate flood susceptibility, vulnerability, and risk zones. The study utilized a comprehensive range of thematic layers, with weight percentages assigned to each parameter as follows: 29% for elevation, 24% for slope, 15% for the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), 9% for drainage density, 9% for distance from rivers, 4% for both precipitation and the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), and 2% each for the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and soil type. To validate these weightings, a consistency ratio was calculated, ensuring it remained below 10%. The findings reveal that 32% of the Niamey study area is at risk of flooding, compared to approximately 15% in Lokoja. The results highlight a very high flood potential, particularly in areas near the Niger River, with this potential decreasing as elevation increases. Given the current prevalence of extreme weather events in West Africa, it is crucial to employ effective tools to mitigate their adverse impacts. This research will assist decision-makers in quantifying the spatial vulnerability of flood-prone areas and developing effective flood risk assessment and mitigation strategies in the region.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/12/1/17flood riskcharacterizationzoningmulti-criteria analysis decisionextreme events |
| spellingShingle | Youssoufa Doulla Nouhou Martins Yusuf Otache Salamatou Abdourahamane Illiassou Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola Appollonia Aimiosino Okhimamhe Thanh Thi Nguyen Flood Risk Assessment and Zoning for Niamey and Lokoja Metropolises in Niger and Nigeria Hydrology flood risk characterization zoning multi-criteria analysis decision extreme events |
| title | Flood Risk Assessment and Zoning for Niamey and Lokoja Metropolises in Niger and Nigeria |
| title_full | Flood Risk Assessment and Zoning for Niamey and Lokoja Metropolises in Niger and Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | Flood Risk Assessment and Zoning for Niamey and Lokoja Metropolises in Niger and Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flood Risk Assessment and Zoning for Niamey and Lokoja Metropolises in Niger and Nigeria |
| title_short | Flood Risk Assessment and Zoning for Niamey and Lokoja Metropolises in Niger and Nigeria |
| title_sort | flood risk assessment and zoning for niamey and lokoja metropolises in niger and nigeria |
| topic | flood risk characterization zoning multi-criteria analysis decision extreme events |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/12/1/17 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT youssoufadoullanouhou floodriskassessmentandzoningforniameyandlokojametropolisesinnigerandnigeria AT martinsyusufotache floodriskassessmentandzoningforniameyandlokojametropolisesinnigerandnigeria AT salamatouabdourahamaneilliassou floodriskassessmentandzoningforniameyandlokojametropolisesinnigerandnigeria AT olasunkanmihabeebokunola floodriskassessmentandzoningforniameyandlokojametropolisesinnigerandnigeria AT appolloniaaimiosinookhimamhe floodriskassessmentandzoningforniameyandlokojametropolisesinnigerandnigeria AT thanhthinguyen floodriskassessmentandzoningforniameyandlokojametropolisesinnigerandnigeria |