Disasters, Environment (Water) and Risk Reduction - Aqaba Flood Management/Jordan

Transcription

1 Background Disasters, Environment (Water) and Risk Reduction - Aqaba Flood Management/Jordan Prepared by: Sana a Al-Aqqad, The University of Jordan Water, Energy and Environment Center

2 Case Outline 1. Disasters, Environment (Water) and Risk Reduction Background 2. Jordan Background 3. Background of study area 4. Study Area Maps: flow direction, Catchment and watershed 5. What is the problem 6. Problem Causes and effects 7. Proposed solutions 8. Remaining issues

3 Background What is a natural disaster? A natural disaster is the consequence of an event, which causes significant loss to human lives and property. A Disaster is defined as the interaction between an event and human activities. A Disaster is often described as a function of hazard, risk and vulnerability.

4 Background Goal of Environment (Water) and Disaster Management The goal of Environment and Disaster Management is the safety and sustainability of human lives. Safety is related to avoiding death and injuries to human lives during a disaster. Sustainability is related to livelihood, socio-economic, cultural, environmental and psychological aspects.

5 Background Disasters - Conflict - Natural Disasters - Population - Migration - Reducing Risk - Enhancing Security Environment -Air - Land - Sea - Built Development - Water - Health - Education - Environment - Poverty Human Security

6 Background Many disasters are primarily water-related, or impact upon water supply and provision for multi sector uses. Consequently, water management approaches have lessons and experience of value to disaster risk reduction approaches, and vice-versa.

7 Background Jordan The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Aqaba

8 Background Aqaba (Aqaba Special Economic Zone ), Gulf of Aqaba located on the Red Sea, is only seaport in Jordan, Aqaba climate is extremely arid consisting of two distinct seasons. However, short, intense convective thunderstorms can occur any time of the year. Disruptions caused by the 2006 flood had a major economic impact on the Kingdom.

9 Background 1. In February 2006, flash flooding in Wadi Yutum resulted in five fatalities and extensive damage to infrastructure in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ). The flooding whose peak flow has been estimated at approximately 500 to 550 cms; disrupted power and water supply and damaged the wastewater treatment plant, causing substantial hardship for the people of Aqaba and significant environmental degradation.

10 Background 2. March 1966 During the night of March 11, 1966, heavy rains and flooding resulted in 70 dead and more than 250 injured, most of them in the City. About half of the buildings in the small town were destroyed and more than 3,000 people were left homeless. About 20 minutes after the start of the storm, which began at about 1:00 a.m., the bridge over Wadi Wahida on the Ma'an-Aqaba highway was overtopped and destroyed by a flood flow estimated to be 540 cms

11 Pictures/maps : Study Area Catchment Watershed Flow Direction

12 Pictures/maps : Flow Direction

13 Pictures/maps : Catchment

14 Pictures/maps : Watershed

15 What is the Problem? The ongoing economic development of Aqaba is crucial to the Jordanian economy, and protection of the City of Aqaba from flood damage is critical to maintaining progress. However, environmental concerns are not incorporated in disaster management practices and vice versa Decisions and actions on environment and disasters are taken separately The main issues are: Lack of coordination and inter-linkage of policy and plans Lack of perception and understanding Lack of local actions, and Lack of resource distribution

16 What is the Problem? Causes Causes Reduced through multi-stakeholder cooperation such as institutional & engineering component Building disaster capacity Causes and Effects Causes Causes of Disaster Climate Immediate/ Long - term Geology Population Topography De - forestation Area High Consumption Watersheds Climate Change The Environment cause-effect cycle Effects Effects Reduced through awareness, policies, actions & Monitoring Effects Flooding Disaster Public Health Infrastructure Airport Treatment Waste Water Station Community Economy

17 What is the Problem? Discharge and Sediment hydrograph

18 What is the Problem? Aqaba Flash Flood Video Disasters, Environment and Risk Reduction Aqaba Flood Management

19 What are the proposed solutions? Prepare a flood protection master plan that: 1. develop rational, coordinated plans for conveying flood flows from their points of origin to outfalls along the Gulf coast. 2. provides recommendations and preliminary designs for managing flood risk, 3. design and implement a flood warning system, 4. and develop a watershed plan to enhance and protect water sources in the Aqaba basin.

20 Remaining Issues? A long-term record of reliable precipitation data that covers the study area including: These data are not currently available Rainfall data: 1. Intensity, 2. Duration, 3. Frequency, storm characteristics: 1. storm track 2. Extent hydrograph 3. Peak flow

21 Remaining Issues? Thank You