Impact of Flooding on Road Durability Along 8miles and the Surrounding District of Calabar Municipality
CHAPTER ONE
Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of this study is to investigate the propelling environmental mechanisms of flooding prevalent in the Calabar Municipality as they affect road durability.
The specific objectives of this study are to:-
- Identify the causes of flooding prevalent on road durability in 8miles and the surrounding district.
- Examine the environmental problems of flooding on road durability in 8miles and the surrounding district.
- Recommend possible control measures on the problems of flooding on road durability in 8miles and the surrounding district.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
Flooding remains the most frequently reported costliest disaster worldwide, accounting for over 40% of natural worldwide disaster (tapsell and tunstall 2007). It is in fact the most common of all environmental hazards and it regularly claims over 20,000 lives per year and affects around 75 million people worldwide (smith 2006). Floods cause about one third of all damages from natural disaster (Akin 2009).
Flood is a body of water which rises to overflow land, which is normally submergered (National Environmental Survey/Action Team, NEST 1991). They are environmental hazards that occur regularly every year in different parts of the country especially during the rainy season. Flood water overflow expanse of land, submerging the land. Flood occurrence is usually due to the increase in the volume of water within the water body such as rivers and lakes. This causes water to exceed the drainage channel capacity and overflow its bounds.
Flooding occurs also when excess runoff is created owing to the inability of the soil to infiltrate water or when the soil has reached its field capacity or saturation. The result is excess runoff which submerges the landscape. This form of flooding is particularly the case in most urban centers of the world and Nigeria in particular, where urbanization has disturbed or altered the natural process of infiltration.
In many urban centers in the country, the dry season brings joy and relief even when the taps are dry, while the rainy season spells agonizing discomfort and the fight to keep life and property from flood devastation. In urban centers in the country, especially in the flood prone coastal areas of the country, floods has posed serious threat to life and property and rendered thousands of people homeless. (Report from National Technical Committee on Water on 5th august, 2024).
The general problems offlooding is very intense both in magnitude and impact. Its occurrence has constantly reduced land use and property value while the cost of living is in persistent rise. The impact of floods in our environment can be viewed from two different perspectives. Its impact on the natural environment on one hand and its impact on the built or artificial environment on the other hand. However, flood impact on the built environment (i.e. the urban Area) is far more devastating in nature due to human activities and increased population.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
There are many approaches to defining floods. However this work emphasizes floods as related to Rainfall Intensity and Human activities. In order to analyze the impact of flooding on road durability in Calabar Municipality, data would be collected from primary field sources and secondary sources. This will enhance proper analysis of flood problem in the study area.
SOURCES OF DATA
The data for this research was collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data was sourced through the use of questionnaires, field observation and interviews made during the research on the study area. Secondary data was sourced from books, journals, magazines, and annual rainfall data collected from the meteorological station in National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
From the survey, out of 200 respondents interviewed, 62 representing 31.0% of the respondents stated that the cause of flooding in the area was narrow / shallow channel. 45 representing 22.5% of the respondents noted that the cause of flooding in their area was the illegal disposal of refuse on drainage channels. 40 representing 20.0% observed that it was due to heavy / high intensity of rainfall, and 53 representing 26.5% of the respondents noted that the absence or ineffective drainage channels was the major cause of flooding in 8miles and the surrounding district. The implication of this is that, flooding problem was highest in the area where it was caused by narrow / shallow channels.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendations
From the foregoing, there is need for the Town Planning Authority to be active in discouraging property construction on areas liable to flooding. Also, quick and timely response to flooding hazards in the study area would help in reducing the incidence of flooding on road durability in some parts of the city.
Adequate funds should be provided by the government to carry out studies on annual rainfall input and the prediction of resultant impact of flooding on road durability in the area.
Covered containers and controlled dump sites should be provided by the Town Planning Authority, so as to discourage the dumping of refuse on drainage channels.
Most of the untarred roads, if not all, should be properly tarred in the study area, so as to avert the prevailing impact of flooding on road durability in 8miles and the surrounding district.
There is need for the construction of more drainage channels and the rehabilitation of old drainage system within the study area.
Finally, government at all levels should place more emphasis on the construction of flood control works whenever there is flooding menace. Although the incorporation of the biological aspect with that of flooding control measures had proved to be somewhat effective, a more sustainable control of flooding problems should be advocated.
Conclusion
Flooding menace has now become annual phenomenon in 8miles and the surrounding district, Nigeria. In view of the findings in this study, it will be of benefit, if the recommendations are given serious consideration. If accepted, implemented and enforced, it will lead to the adoption and adaptation of possible measures to redress the already initiated and future problems of road durability, which emanates from flooding in the area.
The increase in built up areas of the city, implies increase in the surface cores of urban landscape, leading to reduction in the infiltration capacity of the soil, thereby generating higher magnitude of runoff as compared with the pre-urbanization period. Increasing population has further worsened the scenario in Calabar, considering the fact that higher number of this population is traders, producing waste which will fill up the drainage ways.
Apart from population intensity and urbanization, other causes of floods in Calabar includes; intense rainfall, building in flood prone areas, poor planning and maintenance of available drainage facilities, including government reluctance to implement the world bank`s proposals for flood control in the country and Cross River state in particular.
References
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- Adebayo, W. O. (2005) “The Menace of Soil Erosion on the Landscape of Ekiti State and the Necessary Remedial Measures, Journal of Contemporary Studies and Research. Vol. 2. N0. 1 pp. 131 – 143.
- Adeleke, B. O. (1978) “Urban and Rural Development in Nigeria”. Lagos, Heinemann Press
- Afolabi, F. I. (2005) “A Critical Assessment of Environmental Problems in Ondo State. Selected examples and the Way Forward”. An Environmental Sensitization Workshop Organised by the Ondo State Government. Ministry of Special Duties (Department of Environment and Mineral Resources, Akure).
- Ayoade, J. O. (1979) “A Note on the Recent Flood in Ibadan, Nigeria:”.
- Savanna Vol. 8, No 1, pp 64 – 65
- Ayoade J. O. and Akintola, F.O. (1980) “P blic Perceptiof of Flood Hazards in Two Nigeria Cities”. Environmental Interaction Pergamon Press. Volume 4, No “, pp. 8 – 10
