Coping with Urbanization: ESV Adewole harps on the need to checkmate flooding in Owerri

A renowned Estate Surveyor, ESV Virginia Adewole has harped on the need to checkmate incessant flooding in Owerri, the capital city.

ESV Adewole noted that floods are natural consequences of stream flow in a continually changing environment and are usually high rates of discharge of bodies of water in an unorganized manner such that it’s flow could not be controlled.

She equally, described flooding as a natural phenomenon which can be intensified or even caused in some cases by human activities including urbanization, an act of God, humans in their quest for development have also contributed in no small way to the devastation of the environment through flooding.

She reiterated that flooding disrupts the physical and ecological conditions of the environment thereby, deforestation and land use changes precipitation as well as temperature notifications especially at construction sites etc emphasizing, that all these bring about changes in the morphological and hydrologically states of the environment.

The Estate Surveyor disclosed, that Owerri, the capital of Imo State has had it’s own share of flooding over the years
and that has become an annual ritual, a cause of concern to government, researchers and to this effect, the need to understand the terrain and watershed owerri becomes important.

She further revealed that according to Imo State statistics bulletin 2010, the highest amount of rainfall in Owerri were recorded between the months of March and October with the peak in July and September while the main rivers in Owerri, Otamiri and Nworie rivers respectively, have their watershed within the metropolitan area

She noted that with the increased growth of population the city exacerbated by urbanization, there has being a deforestation of the watershed and pre- 1976 landscape, due to the development of residential layouts planned or unplanned.and with increased urbanization, more harm is done to the environment resulting in building up deforested landscapes thereby causing increased water turnoffs.

Also, within the old Owerri which used to be the traditional home of the indigenes, the compactness of the neighbourhoods the inadequacy of open drains and the siting of some of the drains by sand and solid wastes have increased the rate of inundation of the neighbourhoods by floods and to address the menace of flooding in Owerri, studies have been conducted with excellent outcomes .

The ESV further noted that implementation has defied solution as those to whom the trust was entrusted did not found the time to implement the resolutions as it was observed, that they were busy trying to pick the crumbs from the master’s table while their houses are burning stressing that the OCDA should be commended for rising to the occasion sometimes thereby, letting the hammer fall on those found wanting of appropriate development control measures implementation.

She however, listed some measures if accepted, would go a long way in helping the situation which includes: that all failed drainages infrastructure must be repaired while those yet to constructed undertaken in all parts of the city.

Also, roads should be designed along with their drainage channels, to ensure that their pavement design contaminates along the drainage channels.

Equally, a need to undertake an urban drainage channels to ensure appropriate drainage link-ups and discharge routine to the rivers.

Furthermore, a reforestation of urban watershed and the green verges quite important as these will increase the rate of infiltration and reduce runoff volumes in the areas.

Above all, professionals of the built environment should gird their loins and ensure that the rules guiding development control in Owerri is observed.