Journal of Environment and Earth Science ISSN 2224-3216 !a"er# ISSN 222$-%&4' (nline# )ol. 3* No.

12* 2%13

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Gully and Flooding in Anambra State: the Way Forward

Nwa+ineli* Emmanuel (nochie ,e"artment of -eramic and .lass /echnolog0* 12aniI+iam 3ederal !ol0technic* 4nwana*E+on0i State. -hu2wudi -. E5eh ,e"artment of .eolog0 and 6ining* Enugu State 4niversit0 of Science and /echnolog0* Enugu* Nigeria Email 7 "acificgeologicals80ahoo.com Abstract In 1nam+ra state* there are more than 1*%%% gull0 erosion sites out of which 6%% are active. /he state is inundated with flooding and +loc2age of ma9or and minor drainages flood channels as a result of im"ro"er "lanning and design over the 0ears. /hese have +een identified as the ma9or causes of the environmental woes of the stud0 area. 3looding and gull0 erosion menace has reached crisis level in the state. 3rom the "ers"ective of domestic* social and economic life* the state accommodates over 6 million "eo"le dail0 as it houses one of the largest conglomerations of mar2ets in 1frica with intense commercial activities in ever0 noo2s and crannies. /hese activities contri+ute to drainage channels +eing +loc2ed with solid wastes which lead to the flooding of street and highwa0s during the rains. /his result is uncontrolled flood water movement which has often resulted to gull0 erosions. /his "a"er assesses the causative factors and "roffers mitigation:a+atement solution to the flooding and gull0 erosion menace in the state. Keywords: 3looding* .ull0 erosion* ,rainage s0stem* 1nthro"ogenic factors INTRO !"TION 1nam+ra state was created on 2;th 1ugust 1&&1 from the old 1nam+ra and is located in south eastern Nigeria. Its +oundaries are formed +0 ,elta state to the west* Imo state to the south* Enugu state to the east and <ogi state to the North. /he state occu"ies a landmass of 4*416 s=uare 2ilometer and is located on the eastern "lains of >iver Niger. /he state is e?"eriencing ra"id ur+ani5ation and +ecause of its relativel0 small land mass* the whole "lace is virtuall0 +ecoming over "o"ulated.

Figure # $ %A& showing Anambra State ' STAT(%(NT OF T)( &RO*+(% 3looding and gull0 erosion has +ecome one of the greatest environmental disaster facing man0 /owns and villages in 1nam+ra state. @undreds of "eo"le are directl0 affected +0 flood and gull0 erosion ever0 0ear within the communities* towns and villages and 0et the rate of increase in this environmental woes has continued una+ated with no suita+le solution. ASS(SSING T)( R(%OT( "A!S( OF F+OO ING AN G!++, IN ANA%*RA STAT( 1 variet0 of factors such as relief of the states* slo"e insta+ilit0* geomor"holog0 of the state* soil t0"es* rainfall "atterns* t0"e of vegetations and anthro"ogenic activities li2e ra"id ur+ani5ations* rural ur+an migration drift* over "o"ulation* indiscrimate dum"ing of household waste in drains* emission of o5one la0er de"leting gases: +urning of fossil fuels* ha5ardous industrial waste "roducts* heav0 rains of the tro"ic that eventuall0 leads to the forming and growth of gullies due to the transformation and redistri+ution "rocesses of natural soil:roc2 elements has +een identif0 as the remote causes of gull0 erosion and flooding in the stud0 area. 1$2

Journal of Environment and Earth Science ISSN 2224-3216 !a"er# ISSN 222$-%&4' (nline# )ol. 3* No.12* 2%13

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In 1nam+ra state runoff tends to +e high due to heav0 down "our of the tro"ics* "oor agricultural "ractices* and other land use "ractices together with un"lanned engineering wor2s* laterite e?cavations. /hese "ractices de"rive the soil surface of its )egetative cover hence surface run off a+ounds which e?"oses the soil to flooding and erosions activities. 1lso due to heav0 commercial activities going on in these towns* it has lead to generation of tons of li=uid and gaseous waste which find their wa0 into the "oorl0 constructed drainage s0stem:flood channels. In 1nam+ra state* lands and resources are utili5ed without a""rovals or conducting of environment im"act assessment. /he towns and villages in 1nam+ra state are also characteri5ed +0 the "roliferation of illegal structure and shanties including indiscrimate dum"ing of metal scra"s on ma9or drainage s0stem* +uilding of houses and mar2ets stores on drainage and sewage lines have +een also identified as "arts of the causative "ro+lems. >oad construction com"anies and unscru"ulous sand:laterite e?cavators are also "art of the "ro+lem that leaves the fragile environment vulnera+le to erosion and flooding. %ITIGATION OF F+OO ING AN G!++, IN ANA%*RA STAT(' 6an0 flooding and erosion a+atement measures have +een "ut in "lace +oth +0 individuals* affected communities and state government. /he following ma0 +e considered for effective com+ating of flooding and gull0 erosion in 1nam+ra state. 1. (rgani5ing wor2sho"s* seminar* s0m"osium* educating the 1;; communities in 1nam+ra state. /his should involve environmental e?"erts in various fields of environmental science which includes geolog0* geo"h0sics* geomor"holog0* h0drogeolog0* soil scientist. /hese "rofessional will deliver lectures in local languages and "rescri+e eas0 to follow flood model and gull0 erosion control "rinci"les for the affected communities. 2. !lanting of vegetation in +are land* such trees as cashew 1nacardium clientele# female Aam+oos* 6elina amelinear+orie# Neem or dogona0aro 19adrachia indica# have "roved to +e a good antidote for com+ating gull0 erosion. 3. E?cessive +ush +urning* deforestation and overgra5ing es"eciall0 during dr0 season* should +e avoided com"letel0. 4. /he indigenes should +e taught on how to formulate some slogans* catch "hrases to stimulate the interest of mem+ers of the various communities toward fighting the h0dra headed menace. $. 1nam+rians are advice to dig catchment "its* tunnels and waste water reservoirs +0 the sides of road* dee" enough to contain volumes of angr0 ranging flood water. 6. Bet the entire drains s0stem:gutter and catchments "it +e directed toward the nearest surface water +odies such as la2es streams* rivers "onds etc. ;. /he channels must +e constructed in such a wa0 to reduce the s"eed of flood there+0 reducing eroding a+ilit0 of the moving water* the si5e must +e ade=uate in ca"acit0 to co"e with the volume of run off 1% Need for develo"ment control7 this should em"hasis the following "lanning "rinci"les +oundar0 line* densit0 control land use* 5oning +uilding orientation* availa+ilit0 of amenities* and drainage maintenance. 11 -onstruction of storm water soc2 awa0* this can +e varied de"ending on the nature of runoff volume* amount of "reci"itation* the soc2 wa0s should +e fitted with "i"es which drain the water to river courses. 12 .ood farming "ractices such as cro" rotation of s0stem which does not stri" the soil of vegetation cover there+0 e?"osing them to heav0 rains of the tro"ic. 13 -onstruction of control ,ams* ditches u" valle0* earth dams of ade=uate ca"acit0 should +e constructed across natural and earth drainage along which the storm water flows. 14 Auilding house with high foundation7 "eo"le who are living in flood "rone areas in the state should constructed house with high foundation well a+ove the normal height of seasons flooding 1$ 1""ro"riate landsca"ing method*the "ractices of using concrete sla+s* interloc2s to cover com"ounds should +e discouraged since it hel"s to reduce s"aces for infiltration there+0 encourages run-off. 16 Environmental cam"aign awareness should +e created* green+elt ada"tation should +e encourage instead of leaving the soil +are for leaching and runoff. "ON"+!SION AN R("O%%(N ATIONS 3looding is the common and most costl0 natural disaster in 1nam+ra state* though its Im"acts are also e?acer+ated +0 anthro"ogenic factors. Cualit0 assessment of the ris2 im"acts of flood will facilitate the state to "lan ada"tation measures more effectivel0. /he stud0 shows that ado"tion of town "lanning instrument such as master "lans* rural "lans la0out su+ division* and develo"ment control as tools for controlling the use and en9o0ment of land will also go a long wa0 to stemming the tide of such environmental "ro+lems. /he citi5enr0 should +e sensiti5e through environmental education awareness to reali5e the roles the0 "la0ed in

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Journal of Environment and Earth Science ISSN 2224-3216 !a"er# ISSN 222$-%&4' (nline# )ol. 3* No.12* 2%13

www.iiste.org

creating conditions for such "ro+lems and the roles the0 should "la0 to effectivel0 control the "ro+lems. R(F(R(N"(S 15ee5* (. 1&;6#. >eview of the Stratigra"h0* Sedimentation and Structure of the Niger ,elta. In <og+e -.1.*.eolog0 of Nigeria. Eli5a+ethan !u+. -o. Bagos. !. 2$&-2;1. Aur2e* <. 1&;6# DNeogene and =uartenar0 /ectonics of NigeriaE In <og+e* -.1. Ed# .eolog0 of Nigeria Eli5a+ethan !u+lishing -o. Bagos !. 363-36&. Eg+o2a* A.-.E.* and (2"o2o E.I. 1&''#. @0drolog0 of 1w2a and N9i2o2a Bocal .overnment 1reas of 1nam+ra State NigeriaE 1 case stud0 of a develo"ing econom0. Jour. @0drolog0. )olume I. "". 4$-$$. Nwa+ineli* E.(.* 1&&'. Environmental degradation in Nasarawa State. /om9os !rinting !ress.* Bafia. $$" Nwa+ineli E.(.* 1&&&. 4r+an Fater !ollution in Nigeria. 1nthor !rinting !ress* Bafia. 22" (ffodile* 6.-.* 1&''#. Fater >esources 6anagement and the Nigeria .roundwater s0stems Journal of N1@ vol. 1 No.1 "" 63-;4.

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