Mapping Flood Vulnerable Areas in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala using GIS

Abstract

It is estimated that with the onset of climate change, flood risks will not subside in the future and the intensity and frequency of floods will threaten many regions of the world particularly urban areas. Current spatial plans used for guiding the development of urban areas have also been criticized for failing to match dynamism and unpredictable manifestations for instance climate change and flooding. Given this premise, there is a growing call for the need to integrate flood risks management strategies and spatial planning. This represents a proactive approach to dealing with both the probability and consequences of flooding in cities. As an important step towards this integration, this study sought to map flood vulnerable areas in the city of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala using GIS. The hydrology and weighted overlay (spatial analyst) techniques were used to analyse the materials for the study. The results showed the whole city was at risk of being inundated. The areas at high risk of flooding were at the core of the city whereas the no and low flood vulnerable areas were non-habitable. The study recommended the recovery of forest through afforestation among others as some flood mitigation strategies.

Keywords: GIS, Vulnerability Maps, DEM, Flood risk, Land Cover, Quetzaltenango