University of Twente Student Theses
Flood monitoring and damage assessment in agricultural fields using Sentinel-1 SAR images and digital elevation models: A case study of the White Volta river in Ghana
Guribie, R.A. (2020) Flood monitoring and damage assessment in agricultural fields using Sentinel-1 SAR images and digital elevation models: A case study of the White Volta river in Ghana.
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| Abstract: | Flood is a destructive natural hazard which leads to the loss of lives, properties and resources. Floods are currently predominantly prevalent the world over, resulting in damages worth millions. Northern region of Ghana experiences riverine floods along the White Volta river on annual bases which result in destruction of farms. Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing; optical, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) have proven over the years to be useful tools in flood monitoring and mapping. This research seeks to monitor flood and assess damage in agricultural fields Using Sentinel-1 SAR Images and Digital Elevation Models; the study also compared the quality of the different DEMs (SPOT, PALSAR and SRTM) used in estimating flood depths and flood extents. The quality of the DEMs were inferior, but the SPOT had better quality compared to the rest, followed by SRTM, and PALSAR DEM had the worse quality. For this study, Sentinel SAR Images from three dates (12th,18th and 24th) of September 2018 were used in monitoring and assessing inundation extent in agricultural fields. Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA) additive model was used in the damage and risk assessment. A composite flood hazard index was developed incorporating variables such as the crops grown, the flood depths, the water tolerance and damage per hector in a GIS environment. The results indicate that the methods used could integrate all the flood hazard causative factors and the components of flood risk in a GIS environment. This led to the generation of various composite maps to assess flood hazard of farms along the White Volta. About 50% of the flooded area is between 0 to 2m depth. Sorghum was considered as the most vulnerable crop to flooding, and rice was the least vulnerable crop. Crops in the lower Volta were also considered as most vulnerable compared to crops grown in the Upper Volta. In terms of calculated damages, sorghum was identified as the crop with high cost and rice was the least. Farmers farming very close to the White Volta River are advised to desist from farming close to the river during the rainy season, as floods occur during this period to evade the floods. Farmers should also adopt the use of early maturing seeds from agricultural extension officers to facilitate early harvesting of crops before the floods come along in late August and early September. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | ITC: Faculty of Geo-information Science and Earth Observation |
| Programme: | Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation MSc (75014) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/93494 |
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