Flash flood susceptibility mapping via morphometric analysis of Erbil City basins, Iraq

The characteristics of a watershed and how it responds to hydrological processes can significantly impact the occurrence and extent of floods. In the last decade, Erbil province has faced many flash flood events, particularly in 2018 and 2020. Geomorphometric assessments of drainage basins using geographic information systems (GIS) are crucial for evaluating conceptual flood susceptibility. This study aims to assess the impact of watershed terrain features on flood susceptibility in Erbil City basins using geomorphologic analysis with the help of Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data. The flood susceptibility mapping has been evaluated using data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM 1Sec) with 10 m resolution to designate drainage basins, assess geo-morphometric characteristics, and collaborate different morphometric elements. However, morphometric parameters were ranked and scored according to their relevance to flash flood susceptibility. Lastly, the basins’ flood susceptibility was graphically represented, and the basins were categorized as places with low, intermediate, or high flood hazard. According to the accuracy assessment, it has been found that basins B5, B6 and B7 are more susceptible to flash floods compared with other basins. Policymakers can utilize this study’s findings to inform mitigation strategy planning and investment, particularly the urban planning of Erbil province.