Spatial Assessment of Elevation-based Flood Risk Level of Communities and Mitigation Measures in the Wetlands Areas of Rivers and Bayelsa States, Niger Delta Region, Nigeria

The study examined the spatial assessment elevation-based flood risk level of communities and mitigation measures in the wetlands areas of Rivers and Bayelsa States, Niger Delta Region, Nigeria. The study made use of the elevation data from the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission, flood height and tidal inundation data to determine the flood risk levels of communities in the study location. Similarly, 400 copies of questionnaire were administered to the residents from the wetland communities using random sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the analysis. Findings revealed that majority of the coastal region in the study area is generally low lying and highly exposed to flood event. Results also showed that most communities in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas are very highly exposed which included Ahoada, Azagbene, Eben, Kpopkie, Owenegbene, Bisagbene, Ekeni among others while the very risk exposed communities included Okpogo, Ebubu, Aboigbene among other. Findings showed that damage compensation and government relief funds were the major ways used to tackle the negative impact of flood. The popular methods of flood abatement in the study area were restoring meanders in brooks and rivers and coastal wetlands protection. The study concluded that many communities in the coastal parts of Rivers and Bayelsa States in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria are highly prone to flood risk. The study recommended among others that the use of dam for flood abatement and prevention should be adequately established in the study area; and apart from embankment, other flood defense and control measures such as flood barrier, mobile flood wall, coastal sand supply, bypasses to safeguard wetlands, connect rivers to existing lake, dredging rivers, and river bed widening should be adequately put in place to reduce the levels of flood impact in the study area.