Although better known for its sunny skies, nigeria suffers devastating flooding. This book explores a fascinating and little-known chapter in the city’s history—the spectacular failures to control floods that occurred throughout the twentieth century. Despite the city’s 114 debris dams, 5 flood control basins, and nearly 500 miles of paved river channels, Southern Californians have discovered that technologically engineered solutions to flooding are just as disaster-prone as natural waterways. Jared Orsi’s lively history unravels the strange and often hazardous ways that engineering, politics, and nature have come together in Los Angeles to determine the flow of water. He advances a new paradigm—the urban ecosystem—for understanding the city’s complex and unpredictable waterways and other issues that are sure to play a large role in future planning. As he traces the flow of water from sky to sea, Orsi brings together many disparate and intriguing pieces of the story, including local and national politics, the little-known San Gabriel Dam fiasco, the phenomenal growth of Los Angeles, and, finally, the influence of environmentalism. Orsi provocatively widens his vision toward other cities for which Los Angeles may offer a lesson—both of things gone wrong and a glimpse of how they might be improved.

Thesis Abstract

Shiroro dam is one of the three major hydroelectric dams built on River Kaduna in Niger State located in the northwestern part of Nigeria. The river flood plain downstream the dam has rich alluvial soils with great agricultural potentials and this has been the major pull factor for several local communities that settled in the area and engaged in farming as a means of livelihood. However, the downstream communities are exposed to flooding and other hazards related to their livelihood activities and living pattern. A study on rural hazards identification and vulnerability assessment was conducted in Gusoro and Gurmana villages of Shiroro Local Government Area at the downstream sector of Shiroro dam in February, 2012.

The study relied on direct field survey using the instruments of oral interview, questionnaire survey and field measurements for data collection. The results form data analysis indicated, among others, that the communities were exposed to floods, erosion and health hazards as well as the risk of building collapse and environmental degradation.Hazard Response

The local coping strategies of building concentration on higher grounds, construction of elevated footpaths and embankments were found to be primitive and unsustainable. The problems of high level of illiteracy, poverty and dependent population (about50%) as well as low or complete lack of access to safe drinking water, health facilities, basic infrastructure and credit facilities (18.1%) make the people highly vulnerable. Hazard Response The level of preparedness was low as there were no disaster management committees, local disaster management institutions and local disaster plan.

All these reduced community resilience and increased the vulnerability of the people. Hazard Response The study suggested the provision of basic facilities, vigorous awareness education and the institution of integrated community based disaster risk reduction programmes as practical measures for reducing the risk of disasters in the area.Hazard Response