Raafat Misak, Hamdy El-Gamily & Ali Al Dousari

1. Managing Natural Hazards in HIMA ( The Case of Kuwait) Raafat Misak, Hamdy El-Gamily & Ali Al Dousari International Workshop: Towards an Implementation Strategy for the HIMA Governance Systems KISR, Kuwait, 3-5 Dec.2012

2. Outline Natural Hazards in Kuwait. Characterization and Prioritization of Natural Hazards in Kuwait. Case Study : Managing Flash Floods in Sabah Al Ahmad Nature Reserve. Conclusions & Recommendations.

3. Natural Hazards Meteorological : Drought, Sand and Dust Storms (dust storm of 25 March 2011) Hydrological : Flash Floods (1993, 1997, 2004,2007, 2009 & 2012) Geophysical : low magnitude seismic waves. Oceanographic : Fish kill (1999 & 2001)

4. Common Natural Hazards in Kuwait (Feb., 1993 - Nov. , 2012) Drought ( 2007/2008, 2008/2009 , 2009/2010 & 2010/2011 ) Dust and sand storms (July- August 2007, 25 March 2011 & June 2012) Flash flooding ( February 1993, November 1997, January 2004, Jan. 2007, Dec.2009 & November 2012) Raudtain , Nov. 2012 Wadi Al Batin, 2010

5. Floods of 26 November 2012 (Shuwaikh)

6. Abdaly Road, Friday, 30 Nov. 2012, 3 pm

7. Floods of 26 November 2012,Abdaly Road, 20 km from Iraqi BorderFriday, 30 Nov. 2012, 3 pm

8. Prioritization of Weather- Related Hazardsin Kuwait First priority : Dust and sand storms. Second priority : Droughts. Third priority : Flash floods.

9. Frequency & Impact of Weather Related Hazards in Kuwait

10. Details of score for frequency & impact of Weather Related Hazards

11. Facts & Figures on floods in Kuwait Destructive Floods occur during heavy rainstorms with rainfall amounting 30-40mm in one storm lasting 4-6 hours. Parts of Kuwait were subjected to flash floods during 2nd February 1993 (40mm within 6-8 hours), 11th November 1997 (105 mm within 4-6 hours), January 2004, January 2007, April 2008, December 2009 and November 2012. The flash floods cause intensive damage to the physical infrastructures such as roads, fences, water wells, oil facilities and others. During floods traffic problems, ground collapses and death cases were reported, e.g., 11th November 1997.

12. Two Remarkable Flood Events November 1997 : 105 mm within 4-6 hours (largest amount of rainfall in one day during 41 years (Al Sabah and Borbia, 1998) 2 February 1993 : 40 mm within 6-8 hours : Declaration of Jahra City as an area of Natural Disasters

13. Main Watershed Areas in Kuwait JalAzzour Dissected Hilly Terrain (about 145m above sea level) Al Rukham (100 m above sea level) Jal Al Liyah (about 100m above sea level) Ahmadi Ridge (about 137m above sea level) Hills of Wadi Al Batin (about 220m above sea level). Ritqa-Abdaly(80-100m above sea level) JalAzZour Catchment

14. Water Divide JalAzZourWatershed

15. Drainage Basins in Kuwait (Kwarteng, 2000 & Misak, 2011) Kwarteng, 2000

16. Areas at Risk of Flash Floods in Kuwait • Urban Areas • Parts of Al Jahra City. • several areas in and around Kuwait City. • Ahmady – Fahahel Stretch including Shouaiba Industrial Area. • Umm Al Haiman settlement , south east Al Ahmadi (Ali Subah Al Salem City) • Desert Areas • Wadi Al Batin , western part of Kuwait. • Ritqa –Abdaly Stretch. • Northern parts of Kuwait Bay. • Other areas.

17. Flood Event : 26 Nov. 2012 Ritqa- Abdaly High water mark

18. Managing Flash Floods in Sabah AlAhmad Nature Reserve (SANR) • Why ??? How ???

19. Watersheds of SANR Main : JalAzzour Hilly Terrains (100-120 m above sea level) Secondary : Terraces , cliffs and isolated hills (40-60 m above sea level ) Urban watershed (Human made): Roads and road embankments (10 – 20 m above sea level)

20. Urban Watershed

21. Hydrographic Basins of SANR Exterior : Wadis (dry water courses) Interior : closed basins (Playas) Urban wadis : associated with human pressure and off road traffic. Effective Wadis : headwaters start at JalAzZour main escarpment and the wadis drain in the coastal plain

22. Managing flash floods WHY ??? • To control soil erosion by runoff. • To protect plant species such as Haloxylonsalicornicumand wildlife habitats. • To minimize local sources of dust. • To protect infrastructures such as fences and roads.

23. Soil Erosion by runoff water (Western Part of JalAzour water shed , March 1997) • At least 8 cubic meters of good soil • was lost in one storm. • No soil recovery under the prevailing conditions. • Sole practical solution : water and soil conservation.

24. Eastern Part of the Desert Sector of SANR, June 2012 Flood Deposits Flood Direction ا

25. Cut in the fence of Sabah Al Ahmad Nature Reserve (30 Nov.2012)

26. Micro-catchment Rills Umm Al Rimmam Depression 11 November 1997 رمال جرفتها السيول Out-washed Sands مخروط فيضي Alluvial Cone Cone 50سم

27. Managing flash floods HOW ??? • Applying passive water harvesting with minor active harvesting techniques. • Passive water harvesting : Cost effective & environmentally sound.

28. Approaches of water harvesting • Passive Systems that slow flood water, allowing it to seep into the soils. • Active Storing water in aboveground or belowground tanks. • Dams & cisterns. • Ribbing & Pitting

30. Playa Treated Water Reservoir Proposed Passive Measures Ibrahim Shahin, 2012

31. ` Cliff Falling Dunes Falling Dunes Dry water pond Rill

32. Proposed Passive Measures Water Divide Watershed

33. Conclusions & Recommendations Dust and sand storms, droughts and flash floods are the most significant natural hazards in Kuwait. Contingency plans for managing natural hazards are not yet completed. Managing flash floods is essential. It starts with delineation of drainage basins using Arc GIS/high resolution satellite images and ends with contingency plan .In between there is an early warning system. Passive measures of water harvesting is proposed .it is cost effective and environmentally friendly.

34. Demo Title Name Title Group Thank You for Attention