Geospatial approach for determining drainage network patterns and causes of flood in Garin Lamido, Yobe State, Nigeria

Abstract

Flooding is an inevitable worldwide natural phenomenon occurring from time to time, especially in flood prone localities, which can directly harms animals, destroy the environment they live and wreak havoc on humanity. This study has presented a state of the art approach for determining drainage network patterns and causes of floods issues in the study area. The study made use of Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) and Satellite imagery datasets. These images were used to produce the drainage network patterns map, base map, overlaid map of the drainage network patterns and base maps as well as to extract terrain parameters of the study area. Three (3) simple methods of soil types test were used to ascertain soil types of the study area, namely; the squeeze, ribbon and Jar test methods. Therefore, the research findings have provide snapshots spatial relationships between the drainage network patterns and existing features in the study area. The study has also reveals major causes of flooding in the study area, namely; drainage network patterns, terrain parameters, soil types, and human activities such as deforestation, mining, constructions among others. The slope analysis has reveals that most parts of the study area, which is about 184.5ha (72.361%) of the total land-cover are characterized by a flat terrain. An analysis of the results of soil types tests reveal that most parts of the study area, which is about 239.85ha (94.069%) of the total landcover (254.97ha) are mainly made up of loamy soils, which has very low rate of water absorption. Hence, the surface runoff water finds it difficult to infiltrate into the soil, and thus often floods over most parts of the study area. It important to note that the results of this study can serve as a model through which the excess surface runoff water can be properly drained into channels leading into nearby streams or ponds, which can further be harnessed for purposes such as irrigation, ranching among others.