Modeling Flash Floods for Ungauged Catchment Areas in Semi-Arid Region, Northern Ethiopia

Flash floods are generally caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time, about less than 6 hours. They are usually characterized by raging torrents after heavy rains that rip through river beds, urban streets, or mountain canyons sweeping everything before them. They can occur within minutes or a few hours of excessive rainfall. They can also occur even if no rain has fallen, for instance after a levee or dam has failed, or after a sudden release of water by a debris.

In Northern Ethiopia, in recent times, the severity of the flash floods has increased, and there is a necessity for active modeling to comprehend the magnitude of the problems and alleviate their disastrous effects.

For successful applications of flash floods modeling in water resources development and management practices in the semi-arid regions of Ethiopia, this research will focus on the following specific objectives:

• To identify flash flood prone areas.
• To investigate the causes of the flash floods.
• To model the rainfall-runoff behavior of study areas for flash flood modelling.
• To recommend mitigating measures for the impact of the flash floods.

Project head:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. R. Hinkelmann
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kifle, Kifle Woldearegay
Woldemariam Mekelle University, Ethiopia

Scientific assistant:

Uqubai Gessessew, M.Sc.

Project period:

October 2019 - March 2022

Funding:

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)