Integration of Remote Sensing and Hydraulic Models to Identify Flood Prone Areas in Woybo River Catchment, South Western Ethiopia

In line with Climate change rainfall seasonal fluctuation and rainfall amount have major impact on flood and becoming a trait to human life and properties especially on agriculture and different installation. Therefore estimating the runoff and identifying flood prone area at different return period is very essential for effective flood mitigation measure. One of the possible approaches for identifying flood prone area is use of integration of RS with hydraulic models (HECRAS). The present study area is of Woybo River catchment, south western Ethiopia, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM), 90 m resolution downloaded from united states geological survey, were used to extract the river geometry. Daily peak rainfall data from tow metrological stations (1990-2013), collected from national metrological agency, were used for estimating design rainfall and runoff for 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 200 return period. In HEC-RAS, river geometry, boundary conditions, manning’s n value of different land cover, designed runoff for different return periods were inputted then steady flow analysis was carried out. estimated design rainfall frequency showed expected peak rainfall were 63.2, 70.87, 80.57, 87.77, 94.91 and 102.02 mm and estimated design runoff were 378, 461, 568, 650.5, 733, and 817 m3/se. Steady analysis showed that water surface elevation in the longitudinal profile increase with increasing return period, Inundation area were 1727, 1788, 18560, 1905, 1950 and 1987 ha respectively. The study also suggested that flood prone areas were at the lower reach along the banks of the river extending to 50 m right and left. The finding has been used for planning and decision making in insuring that this areas are protected and limit the risk of damage occurring.