Hydrological Dynamics and Road Infrastructure Resilience: A Case Study of River Nile State, Sudan

Hossam Aldeen Mohamed; Abubakr Hassan

doi:10.51278/ajse.v3i1.1362

Authors

Hossam Aldeen Karary University, Sudan
Abubakr Hassan Karary University, Sudan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51278/ajse.v3i1.1362

Abstract

This study explores the intricate relationship between hydrological processes, watershed management, and road infrastructure resilience, focusing on the impact of flooding on roads intersecting with streams in the River Nile State, Sudan. Located between 16.5°N to 18.5°N latitude and 33°E to 34°E longitude, this region, crucial to both ecological and economic aspects of the Nile River, faces significant challenges due to flooding. Utilizing precise Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and advanced hydrological modeling techniques, the research aims to identify optimal solutions, such as overpass bridges, to mitigate flood risks. The total road length within the study area is quantified at 3572.279 kilometers, with stream orders categorized by length distribution: First Order at 2276.79 kilometers (50.7%), Second Order at 521.48 kilometers (11.6%), Third Order at 331.26 kilometers (7.4%), and Fourth Order at 1359.92 kilometers (30.3%). A notable flood event in 2020 disrupted approximately 120 meters of the Atbara - Shendi Road, revealing damage beyond initial expectations despite existing overpasses. This underscores the need for enhanced flood mitigation strategies and a reassessment of infrastructure resilience. The area where the flood caused the road cut had a watershed area of 214 square kilometers. The study identified 26 points where the watershed area is equal to or exceeds 214 square kilometers, indicating a higher risk of road disruption due to flooding. Enhanced scrutiny, potentially using high-resolution DEMs, is recommended for better assessment and management of these vulnerabilities. By integrating advanced DEM data and hydrological analysis, the study proposes tailored solutions to protect infrastructure while promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Author Biography

Abubakr Hassan, Karary University, Sudan

Dr. Abubakr Hassan

karary University

Email : bakhas@my.swjtu.edu.cn

References

Horton, R.E. (1945). Erosional development of streams and their drainage basins; hydrophysical approach to quantitative morphology. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 56(3), 275-370.

Strahler, A.N. (1957). Quantitative analysis of watershed geomorphology. Transactions of the American Geophysical Union, 38(6), 913-920.

Sullivan, S.M.P., Watzin, M.C., & Hession, W.C. (2006). Influence of stream geomorphology on fish habitat quality and biological communities. Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 42(1), 37-48.

Leopold, L.B., Wolman, M.G., & Miller, J.P. (1964). Fluvial Processes in Geomorphology. Dover Publications.

Dingman, S.L. (2002). Physical Hydrology. Prentice Hall.

Forman, R.T.T., & Alexander, L.E. (1998). Roads and their major ecological effects. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 29, 207-231.

Montgomery, D.R. (1994). Road surface drainage, channel initiation, and slope instability. Water Resources Research, 30(6), 1925-1932.

Sullivan, S., Chipps, M.J., & Isenhart, T.M. (2006). Roles of riparian vegetation in streambank stability and erosion control in the Midwestern United States. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 61(6), 284-291.

Brunner, G.W., & Band, L.E. (2000). Simulating runoff behavior in urban watersheds: A detailed hydrological analysis. Journal of Hydrology, 237(3-4), 198-214.

Wemple, B.C., Jones, J.A., & Grant, G.E. (2012). Channel network extension by logging roads in two basins, western Cascades, Oregon. Water Resources Research, 48, W04514.

Croke, J., Mockler, S., Fogarty, P., & Takken, I. (2005). Managing runoff and pollutant transport from roadways. Environmental Science & Policy, 8(2), 179-189.

Brodie, I.M., & Hostetler, S. (2005). Practical considerations in urban stormwater management: Incorporating principles of sustainability. Water Science and Technology, 51(10), 1-9.

Li, X., Wang, Y., Zhao, J., & Zhang, Q. (2023). Hydrological responses to land use and land cover changes under different climate change scenarios. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 14(8), 2788-2805.

Smith, P., et al. (2014). Statistical precipitation analysis and estimation of filling techniques for incomplete rain gauge data. Environmental Modelling & Software, 60, 195-209.

Johnson, F., & Sharma, A. (2016). A comparison of Australian rainfall datasets for hydrological modeling. Journal of Hydrology, 18(2), 252-266.

Wang, Y., & Liu, Q. (2013). Improving flow direction computation in mountainous areas by removing spurious pits from digital elevation models. Hydrological Processes, 27(5), 807-818.

Tarboton, D. G. (2010). A new method for the determination of flow directions and upslope areas in grid digital elevation models. Water Resources Research, 46, W03501.

Wilson, J.P., et al. (2012). Terrain analysis in digital elevation models for hydrology. In: Bishop, M.P., Shroder, J.F. (eds) Geographic Information Science and Mountain Geomorphology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.

Moore, R.D., et al. (2012). Landscape-scale modeling of hydrological processes using remote sensing data. Journal of Hydrological Engineering, 17(10), 1132-1147.

Davies, R., & Benda, L. (2011). The influence of stream order on stream connectivity and complexity. Journal of Hydrology, 394(3-4), 204-215.

Chen, Z., et al. (2013). Stream order classification: an overview and application using high-resolution remote sensing imagery and GIS. Remote Sensing of Environment, 15, 136-150.

Peterson, G. and Verdin, K. (2014). Advances in watershed delineation using high-resolution DEMs. Water Resources Management, 28(7), 2071-2085.

Torabi Haghighi, A., Marttila, H., Silander, J., & Alho, P. (2022). Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) in the Integrated Hydrological and Fluvial Systems Modeling: Review of Current Applications and Trends. Water, 14(14), 2211.

Smith, et al. (2021). Assessing Flood Risk and Road Infrastructure Vulnerability in Coastal Regions: A Case Study of Louisiana, USA.

Nguyen, et al. (2020). Flood Impact on Road Networks in Southeast Asia: Insights from Thailand and Vietnam.

Rahman, et al. (2019). Urban Flood Resilience and Road Infrastructure: A Case Study of Jakarta, Indonesia.