Hydraulic Modeling and Remote Sensing Monitoring of Floodhazard in Arid Environments—A Case Study of Laayoune City in Saquia El Hamra Watershed Southern Morocco

Abstract

Morocco often faces significant intense rainfall periods that can generate flash floods and raging torrents, causing serious damage in a very short period of time. This study aims to monitor wetland areas after a flash-flood event in an arid region, Saquia El hamra Saharan of Morocco, using a technique that combines hydraulic modeling and remote sensing technology, namely satellite images. The hydrological parameters of the watershed were determined by the WMS software. Flood flow was modeled and simulated using HEC HMS and HEC-RAS software. To map the flooded areas, two satellite images (Sentinel-2 optical images) taken before and after the event were used. Three classifications were carried out using two powerful classifiers: support vector machines and decision tree. The first classifier was applied on both dates’ images, and the resulting maps were used as input for a constructed decision tree model as a post-classification change detection process.