Environmental sensitivity of flash flood hazard based on surface water model and GIS techniques in Wadi El Azariq, Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

Wadi El Azariq basin constitutes the administrative division of the province in the northeastern part of the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. This wadi represents one of the most promising areas for different activities due to its hydrological and location importance. This study aims to implement a new methodology for flash flood assessment and modeling in this strategic region through the integration between physiographic features, surface water models (WMS and HEC-HMS), as well as Geographic Information System (GIS). Thirty-eight morphometric elements were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using topographic maps and recent satellite images. These parameters were inter-linked to yield nine important factors for assessment of the flash flood hazardous, which were determined and grouped in both high and low degrees. Also, hydrographs for Wadi El Azariq basin were constructed with different recurrence stages of extremely (maximum) daily rainfall using the last phase carried out in the modeling procedure. The obtained result proved that the total surface runoff ranges from 4.1×106 m3 to 13.8×106 m3 at recurrence stages of 5 years and 100 years respectively based on the maximum daily rainfall events. This study draws specifics about the flash flood-prone areas, planning rainwater harvesting and flood management approaches of Wadi El Azariq basin. Besides, areas of inundation and groundwater potentiality were also determined as the surface runoff potentiality.