Landuse Characteristics of Flood Prone Areas in Birnin-kebbi Local Government Area, Nigeria

Abstract This study assessed the landuse characteristics of flood-prone areas (FPAs) in BirninKebbi Local Government Area. There are twelve FPAs in the study area, out of which three (Ambursa, Gwadagwanji, and Dagere) were randomly selected. In each of the FPA, flood plains were identified while a radius of 300 meters was delineated around the widest plain. Thereafter, landuse characterization was done. Also, 240 questionnaires were administered to elicit information on the impact of flooding. The major landuses in the study area are residential (56.73%), and agricultural (33.97%). Intensive farming, mostly rice plantation, is carried out in the study area – a practice that loosens the soil and makes it vulnerable to flooding. Unfortunately, there is no landuse regulation concerning agricultural practice and development in hazard zones in the area, and none of the developments in these areas is approved by the Kebbi State Urban Development Authority. All the sampled respondents have experienced flooding. With the Flood Impact Index (FII) of 0.22 and 0.08, the impacts of flooding in the area are displacement and loss of agricultural products. The paper, therefore, recommends the declaration of FPAs as hazard zones with landuse plans developed – both for agricultural landuses and built-up developments.