Maria Tadesse Tamrat

Flood Risks and Watershed Management: Case Study in Dechatu Watershed, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia Maria Tadesse Tamrat

Flood hazard has long history which devastate by powerful flood disasters in the past where poor natural resource management is experienced. This work aimed at investigating the root causes of flood and the options for future risk reduction in relation. It describes the link between land use and land management practices with land degradation, runoff occurrence and flash floods. Furthermore, the book assesses the impact of deforestation on catchments hydrology and occurrence of floods. Large-scale destruction of forest resources in the highland areas has been practiced which has aggravated the rate of flooding in lowlands particularly in rural areas. The satellite image analysis shows that there is a change in land use land cover, where wood land, shrub land and bare land decrease sand deposit, cultivated area and built up area have increased. Conducting integrated soil and water conservation activities. Hence, integrated watershed management in the highlands is the best option to cope up flood risks.