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
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
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
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.
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.
Background
Disasters - Conflict
- Natural Disasters
- Population
- Migration
Development
- Water
- Health
- Education
- Environment
- Poverty
- Reducing Risk
- Enhancing Security
Environment -Air
- Land
- Sea
- Built
Human
Security
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.
Background
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Aqaba
Jordan
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.
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.
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
Pictures/maps : Study Area
Catchment
Watershed
Flow Direction
Pictures/maps : Flow Direction
Pictures/maps : Catchment
Pictures/maps : Watershed
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
What is the Problem?
Causes
Effects
Causes
Effects
Reduced through
multi-stakeholder
cooperation such
as institutional &
engineering
component
Reduced
through
awareness,
policies, actions
& Monitoring
Building
disaster
capacity
Causes Immediate/ Long - term
Population
De - forestation
High Consumption
Climate Change
Causes of Disaster
Climate
Geology
Topography
Area Watersheds
Effects “Flooding Disaster”
Public Health
Infrastructure
Airport
Treatment Waste Water
Station
Community
Economy
The Environment
cause-effect cycle
Causes and Effects
What is the Problem? Discharge and Sediment hydrograph
What is the Problem?
Disasters, Environment and Risk Reduction | Aqaba Flood Management
Aqaba Flash Flood Video
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.
Remaining Issues?
• Rainfall data:
1. Intensity,
2. Duration,
3. Frequency,
• storm
characteristics:
1. storm track
2. Extent hydrograph
3. Peak flow
A long-term record of reliable
precipitation data that covers
the study area including:
These data are
not currently
available
Remaining Issues?
Thank You