Terrain Mapping/Classification: Water Level Analysis of Vulnerable Flood Zones in Parts of River Niger, North-Central Nigeria

Abstract

The study area is situated in the North-Central part of Nigeria, geographically located between UTM-Zone 32N, Northing (885012 to 912575) and Easting (224620 to 252021) coordinates covering a total surface area of 768.94 km². Floods are caused by many factors: Heavy rainfall, highly accelerated snowmelt, severe winds over water, unusual high tide, tsunamis, or failure of dams, levees, retention ponds, or other structures that retained the water. In this study, a Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM image was used to classify terrain and model water level with respect to elevation which reveal decrease in elevation from the west to east within the study area, significantly towards river Niger. Water level image analysis shows that newly developed areas along the river Niger are flood prone to include the people of Budan, Apaata, Ekpu, Aisawa, Adamagu, Agbodo, Atada, Idoji, Emoa, Kpapazi, Ajara, ozahi, Panda, Chukanuku and Akanu. These settlements and the NW-SE trending busy Abuja-Lokoja road parallel to river Niger will also be greatly affected when water level rises up to 50m above ground level.