Risk Assessment of the Shatt Al-Arab Overflow in Basra

The Shatta al-Arab River is approximately 200 km long and is formed by the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the city of al-Qarna, 74 km northwest of the port city of Basra in southern Iraq. The river is affected by climate change and frequent rains, it shows the risk of flooding and overflowing at the riverside. The Shatta al-Arab River Basin in the city of Basra has been faced with floods and devastating consequences. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and analyze the spatial risk of river overflow of the Shatta al-Arab River in the city of Basra, Iraq, using the Geospatial Information System (GIS). GIS was used to estimate and evaluate the location and zoning of the Shatt al-Arab floodplain in Basra using the available data. By identifying the types of land uses around the river, provided a detailed analysis of how they are distributed in different risk areas. The results show that the agricultural landuse due to its large area is more at risk than other uses. The results of this study can have a significant impact on preventing irreparable flood damage in this area.