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Impact of Soil sealing on the genesis of urban flood in Peshawar, Pakistan


 Anthropogenic activities are consistently modifying surface covers changes. Such alterations have been producing negative impacts on surface and groundwater sources by escalating surface runoff and reducing infiltration to recharge the aquifers. In this research an attempt has been made to explore the rapid expansion of built environment, its trend and impacts on the increasing surface runoff and the genesis of urban flood in Peshawar, Pakistan. The study area has been experiencing rapid population growth and urban expansion, which has been continuously consuming the fertile farmland and replacing the natural ground by the artificial impermeable surfaces. The required data for this study was acquired through primary and secondary sources from various organizations. Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) were used to monitor and detect the development of built environment and its probable impacts on the accelerated surface runoff. Analysis reveals that Physical, infrastructural and socio-economic developments were the major factors of land take and conversion of natural ground into Impervious Surface Covers (ISC). Such modifications have been producing negative effects on urban environ and water resources of the study area. Finding of the study reveals that rapid population growth is responsible for the increase in built-up areas, urban expansion and infrastructural developments, during the study period (1981–2014) have increased the impermeable surfaces from 3.70% to 16.27%. Consequently surface runoff has also been intensified, which has in certain cases created urban and flash floods. Rapid urban growth and the resultant physical and infrastructural developments need to be properly checked and monitored so that its adverse impacts on the generation of urban flash floods could be minimized.