تقييم آثار السيول على البيئة الزراعية في وادي حضرموت 2008م

Abstract

The floods are considered as natural disasters which threaten people's lives and activities in Wadi Hadramout, especially agriculture sector, which is one of the most important livelihood sources in this region. The study aimed to find out about the flood disaster in Wadi Hadramout and its impact on the agricultural environment in 2008 which was one of the heaviest floods in the valley that has claimed the lives of many people and has caused serious damage on properties and infrastructures. This study focused on the amount of damage and losses and the reasons that led to this. The researcher has used descriptive, historical, statistical and correspondence methods. The study has found that one of the main causes of this disaster is that the valley's upper course is wider than its lower course, and that the valley's slope in its top is lesser than that in its bottom. Another reason is heavy rainfall for approximately 30 hours estimated at 91 mm, the weakness the of early warning systems and the new and old facilities, and the development of roads and buildings in the center of the valley's course and on its edges. Floods have immediate benefits, damage and long-term losses. Crop sector damage was estimated at 63,192 YR million, and livestock sector damage was estimated at 6,584 YR million. The total seasonal crop losses over three seasons were estimated at 4,827 YR million, the total loss of production of perennial fruit trees over four seasons was estimated at 2,336 YR million, and total production losses in the livestock sector for four seasons were estimated at 18,761 YR million. The study recommends, preventing the construction on the edges of the valley's course, and the establishment of an early warning system in order to make the best use of the flooding water through the construction of dams and water barrages to increase the farming area and groundwater, and improving crop varieties which are grown on flood water to increase and improve crop yield. Further studies and future research are also recommended in the field of response to flood risks, also the study recommends taking as much advantage of the techniques of GIS and remote sensing RS to study flood risks through the creation of a morphometric and hydrological database for Wadi Hadramout that shows the key natural, morphometric and hydrological features.