Flash-flood hydrology and aquifer-recharge in Wadi Umm Sidr, Eastern Desert, Egypt

Abstract

Rapid urbanization and irrigation agriculture along the hyperarid Red Sea coastal plain in Egypt are dependent on freshwater supply from coastal aquifers. The aquifers are recharged by flash-floods from catchments (wadis) in the Eastern Desert, but large floods also cause infrastructure damage and deaths. Flood management strategies require knowledge of flood magnitude-frequency relationships, but in this regard quantitative data are lacking. Here, we reconstruct the peak discharge of a large flash-flood in 2016 using field measurements and flood discharge modelling along Wadi Umm Sidr, ~ 50 km west of Hurghada. In addition, we estimated the total flood volume, the flood duration, the infiltration rate and the transmission losses. Results are consistent with the few published determinations for large floods across the wider Levant. Field survey of recent floods (and palaeofloods) is a robust means to develop regionally applicable magnitude-frequency relationships. We close with some recommendations regarding flood protection of the Red Sea coastal infrastructure.

Assessment of Watersheds Vulnerability to Flood Risks Along North Western Coast of Egypt Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques

“…Alexandria has relatively high humidity, but sea breezes help keep the moisture are categorized in three main areas due to its geographic locations. Figure (1) shows the location map of the study area.…”

Morphometric, Meteorological, and Hydrologic Characteristics Integration for Rainwater Harvesting Potential Assessment in Southeast Beni Suef (Egypt)

“…To increase the availability of water resources, harvesting techniques can be used through the construction of low-high dams. Numerous studies were carried out using geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) for the assessment of flashfloods [26][27][28][29]. Therefore, an assessment of the flashfloods and their drivers are extremely important.…”

Integrated management of surface water and groundwater to mitigate flood risks and water scarcity in arid and semi‐arid regions

“…Fathy, Abd‐Elhamid, and Negm (2020) presented a method for predicting the runoff volume in Wadi Sudr, Sinai, Egypt, using GIS and hydrological models and discussed ways of mitigating flood hazards in this area using small dams and open channels. In another study, Abbas, Carling, Jansen, and Al‐Saqarat (2020) used flood discharge modelling and field measurements to estimate the total flood volume, duration, infiltration rate, and transmission losses in Wadi Umm Sidr, Egypt. They presented recommendations for flood protection of the Red sea coastal infrastructure.…”