Spatial Analysis of Urban Flood Risks on Recreational Development in Oguta, Owerri - Imo State, South-Eastern Nigeria, West Africa

 

Umunakwe Henry, C., Alozie Michael, C. and Eneogwe Innocent, C.

 

Full Length Research Paper I Published Novemebr,2018

 

Journal of Physical Science and Environmental Studies Vol. 4 (4), pp. 64-73

ABSTRACT

Over the years, the population of Oguta has been on the increase which brought about expansion in human activities to meet with the varied needs of the local communities. This anthropogenic action has resulted to a level of environmental degradation of which the researcher has envisage the problem of flooding in Oguta lake in Oguta Local Government Area (LGA), Owerri, Imo State. For this assessment, Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) were used as a tool for carrying out this research. The data used for the analysis were acquired through the United State Geologic Survey (USGS), Global Land Use Land Cover Facilities (GLULCF) and archived materials from National Center for Remote Sensing Jos (NCRS). The assessment revealed that the water bodies and settlement increased from 130 km² (26.80%) to 306 km² (36.11%) and 53 km² (10.93%) to 154 km² (31.73%) for 1986 and 2016 respectively. It equally shows a corresponding decrease in vegetative cover and bare surface which decrease from (37.32%) and 121 km² (24.95%) to (4.97%) and 1 km² (0.19%) from 1986 to 2016 respectively. The analysis also revealed that increase in paved surfaces and infrastructural development has resulted in displacement of vegetative cover and bare surface and as such block water from infiltration and recharging of underground water. These increase the rate of run-off into the adjacent water body within the Oguta lake which makes the surrounding region to be liable to flooding.  The government of Oguta LGA should ensure that GIS is used in the monitoring of flood event and ensure that Town Planning Laws and Ordinances should be observed.  

Key words: Digital elevation model, flood incidence, flood-risk, GIS, image classification, runoff intensity, urban recreation and management.

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