Analyses Of Some Factors Contributing To Flooding In The Mouth Part Of The Kura

Abstract

Flow regulation in Azerbaijan’s rivers has historically been considered the most effective method for flood prevention, although large flood events began to occur even in the highly regulated reaches in recent years. Also, while most of the Kura River’s flood events have usually occurred during warming periods, flooding events have been more recently observed even during shallow water periods, when the river’s discharge is relatively low. This recent change in the river’s flood frequency and magnitude has increased the threat to floodplain residences and the productivity of floodplain agricultural activities. Larger flood events have the potential to cause colossal economic and social damage to municipalities located near the banks of the river by not only flooding the surface of the floodplain, but also by raising local groundwater levels that affect the normal function of households both at the banks and the territories located far from the river. More recently, there are numerous additional factors occurring in and around the Kura river basin area that have increased flooding in the Kura. Climatic patterns which increased intense snowmelt and intense rains during high flow period have increased flood frequency and peak flows. The rising Caspian Sea level, into which the River Kura flows, has also contributed to increase