Identification of the Areas Susceptible to Flooding and Overflows in Sungu and its Surrounding (Mus)

Abstract

Floods and overflows are one of the important natural problems in Mus Plain which is one of the largest agricultural lands in Turkey. Located in the middle section of Mus Plain, Sungu Town and agricultural lands of the municipality are one of the most damaged sections by these floods and overflows that occur in certain periods. Susceptibility maps indicate the place of possible floods and overflows under the impact of environmental variables. The use of these maps in planning studies to be conducted in the region affected adversely by floods and overflow brings significant contributions to minimize the damages of floods and overflows. These maps, along with inventory maps, constitute the initial stage of the studies that are conducted to minimize the damages of floods and overflows. This study aims to define areas susceptible to flood and overflows by means of forming flood and overflows susceptibility maps for Sungu town and its immediate environment. According to the susceptibility maps of Sungu town and its immediate environment, it was found that the areas with high or very high susceptibility to overflows constitute approximately 54% of the investigated area and those with high or very high susceptibility to flood constitute 14.6% of the investigated area. On account of the fact that areas with high or very high susceptibility to flood and overflows are used as residential or agricultural lands, larger scaled (1/5000) overflows risk maps should be designed for this area in order to prevent the damages of possible floods and overflows to Sungu Town and its immediate environment.