Engineering Hydrology for Flood Control, Adequate Water Resources and Sustainable Environment in Nigeria

Abstract

Life is dependent upon water, and the knowledge of hydrology must be deployed to tackle issues related to floods, water scarcity, and environmental and climate change. This article examines engineering interventions through hydrology for flood control, adequate water resources, and a sustainable environment in Nigeria. The methodology adopted includes a literature review, survey-based studies, and systematic sampling with basic random sampling. Findings revealed that excess precipitation has serious negative effects on the environment. Due to the lack of or inability to utilize pertinent hydrological data, water-related initiatives in Nigeria have failed miserably. The hydrological cycle is the central theme of the study of hydrology. Hydrological studies involve the application of scientific knowledge and mathematical principles to solve water-related problems. Data collection, processing, storage, and retrieval on all elements of the hydrological cycle, including precipitation, evaporation, runoff, infiltration, and stream flow, to name a few, fall primarily under the purview of hydrologists. In Nigeria, the most commonly used method for modeling floods is the combination of remote sensing data with GIS tools. It was concluded that engineering hydrology has to be utilized for flood control, adequate water resources, and a sustainable environment in Nigeria. For sustainable development in Nigeria, it is essential to make the risk assessment, water resources management, collecting, processing, retrieval, and banking of hydrological data mandatory in the water sector. A sufficient amount of water is essential to both civilization and existence. Water resources are thought to be abundantly blessed in Nigeria. There is a need to build technical and financial capacity to manage the water delivery system effectively. The government and pertinent authorities and institutions need to step up action in this direction. Human resource development, clear and consistent regulation, appropriate coordination, sufficient responsibility, and adequate and trustworthy data for planning and predictions are among the recommendations made