Effect of Flooding and the Solution in Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Flooding is one of the major environmental crises
one has to contend of within the century. This is
especially the case in most wetlands of the world. The
reason of this is the general rise in sea level globally,
due to global warming as well as the saturated nature of
the wetlands in the Niger Delta. Periodic floods occur
on many rivers, forming a surrounding region known as
flood plain. Rivers overflow for reasons like excess
rainfall. The good thing about river overflows is the fact
that as flood waters flow into the banks, sand, silt and
debris are deposited into the surrounding land. After the
river water subsided and go back to its normal flow, the
deposited materials will help make the land richer or
more fertile. The organic materials and minerals
deposited by the river water keep the soil fertile and
productive (Abowei and Sikoki, 2005).
During times of rain or snow, some of the water is
retained in ponds or soil. Some is absorbed by grass and
vegetation, some evaporates and rest travels over the
land as surface runoff. Flood occurs when ponds, lakes,
riverbeds, soil and vegetation cannot absorb all the
water. Water the runs off the land in quantities that
cannot be carried within stream channels or retained in
natural ponds, lakes and manmade reservoirs. About
30% of all precipitation becomes runoff and that
amount might be increased by water from melting
snow. A flood that raises rapidly, with little or no
relatively small area, or if, the area was already
saturated from previous precipitation (Henry, 2006).
During flooding water supplies that result in
contamination of water (water pollution). Clean
drinking water becomes scarce. Unhygienic conditions
and Spread of water-borne diseases result. People,
buildings, infrastructure, agriculture, open recreational
space and the natural world. In extreme cases flooding
may cause a loss of life. Torrential
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Flooding is one of the major environmental crises
one has to contend of within the century. This is
especially the case in most wetlands of the world. The
reason of this is the general rise in sea level globally,
due to global warming as well as the saturated nature of
the wetlands in the Niger Delta. Periodic floods occur
on many rivers, forming a surrounding region known as
flood plain. Rivers overflow for reasons like excess
rainfall. The good thing about river overflows is the fact
that as flood waters flow into the banks, sand, silt and
debris are deposited into the surrounding land. After the
river water subsided and go back to its normal flow, the
deposited materials will help make the land richer or
more fertile. The organic materials and minerals
deposited by the river water keep the soil fertile and
productive (Abowei and Sikoki, 2005).
During times of rain or snow, some of the water is
retained in ponds or soil. Some is absorbed by grass and
vegetation, some evaporates and rest travels over the
land as surface runoff. Flood occurs when ponds, lakes,
riverbeds, soil and vegetation cannot absorb all the
water. Water the runs off the land in quantities that
cannot be carried within stream channels or retained in
natural ponds, lakes and manmade reservoirs. About
30% of all precipitation becomes runoff and that
amount might be increased by water from melting
snow. A flood that raises rapidly, with little or no
relatively small area, or if, the area was already
saturated from previous precipitation (Henry, 2006).
During flooding water supplies that result in
contamination of water (water pollution). Clean
drinking water becomes scarce. Unhygienic conditions
and Spread of water-borne diseases result. People,
buildings, infrastructure, agriculture, open recreational
space and the natural world. In extreme cases flooding
may cause a loss of life. Torrential
References: Akinyemi, T., 1990. Stemming the Tide of Lagos Floods, in: The Guardian, Friday, July 20, pp: 7. Baiye, E., 1988. Numan in the Throes of Floods, in: The Guardian, Thursday, October 8, pp: 9. Durotoye, B., 1999. Human Occupation of Hazard Areas in Nigeria, in: Oshuntokun, A. (ed.) Environmental Problems of Nigeria. Lagos: Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Edward-Adebiyi, R., 1997. The Story of Ogunpa, in: The Guardian, Saturday, May 17, pp: 5. Folorunsho, R. and L. Awosika, 2001. Flood Mitigation in Lagos, Nigeria Through Wise Management of Solid Waste: a case of Ikoyi and Victoria Islands; Nigerian, Paper presented at the UNESCO-CSI workshop, Maputo 19-23 November 2001). Nwaubani, C., 1991. Ogunpa River Leaves Bitter Aftertaste in Tragic Course Through Abeokuta; in: The Guardian, October 21, pp: 9 Oluduro, C., 1988. Grappling with the Problem of Flood, in: Daily Times, Tuesday July 5, pp: 11.