INTEGRATION OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY AND FLOOD ANALYSIS FOR GEOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL-ECONOMIC HAZARDS ON THE NAVAJO NATION

Abstract

Flooding events have caused many considerable losses to individuals and businesses all over the United States. Floods are the most frequent severe weather threat and the costliest natural disaster in the nation. Ninety percent of all natural disasters in the country involve flooding. In order to effectively mitigate and prevent flood disasters, flood risk and flood management needs to be implemented in areas that are vulnerable and susceptible to flooding. The area of study will be the Navajo Nation region in the state of Arizona. Analysis and evaluation of flooding events near Marble Canyon and the city of Winslow between the years 2010 and 2020 are the main objectives of this project. Flood susceptibility analysis in ArcGIS Pro can determine the risk of flooding near these areas and how it affects their geology and economy. Major flooding of these areas has caused severe damage to roads, homes, crops, businesses, schools, hospitals, and emergency services. The following factors are included in the flood analysis, slope, hydrology, rainfall, and land cover. Using the reclassify and weighted overlay tools in ArcGIS Pro for each of these factors, a flood risk map of each area shows the severity of flood risk. Each flood risk area has an allocated value from “very low,” “low,” “medium,” “high”, and “very high” flood risk. This shows what areas are more vulnerable than others in both regions of the Navajo Nation. These results can be used to highlight areas that require planning and action to avoid or mitigate damages and loss of lives.