ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I give thanks to the almighty God for being with me throughout this journey. I also give great
thanks to my father for the support and motivation throughout this journey .I really appreciate the
work of the lectures and thank them a lot for the knowledge they have impacted in my life. A big
thank you goes to my own brother Selassie Hatsu who accompanied me in my entire journey to
get information and take pictures .I cannot forget to thank all senior course mates who assisted in
one way or the other all for the betterment of the work. Another big thank you goes to my own
friend Solomon Amuzu for his encouragement and support. I pray the almighty God bless you all
and make you reap the fruit of your hard work.
 DEDICATION

I dedicate this report first to the Lord almighty and then secondly to the Hatsu family.

I also dedicate this to all who are committed to finding solutions to the daily problems in our
societies.
 ABSTRACT

The course CENG 291 is aimed at helping engineering students apply knowledge in their fields
of engineering to solve related problems in the societies in which they find themselves. Since
time immemorial, the ever growing town of Kasoa has been plagued by a series of problems
ranging from poor methods of waste disposal, noise creation and or pollution, poor road
networks amongst others but the one which has troubled the town for a long time is the issue of
flooding which has wreaked a lot of havoc on both human and animal lives and also properties.

The major cause of the issue of flooding is the overall poor drainage system of the town
coupled with the poor attitude of residents towards the drainages in the area.

In order to solve this problem the overall drainage of the place should be taken into
consideration and modifications be made to them to enhance the flow of run offs during heavy
downpours to avoid flooding.
 TABLE OF CONTENT

1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

2. ABSTRACT

3. INTRODUCTION

i .Course Background

ii. Aims and Objectives

4.METHODOLOGY AND MATERIALS

i.Identification of Problem

ii. Hypotheses

iii.Data Collection

5.RESULTS AND DESCRIPTION

i.Description of the community

6 .FLOODING

iii.Nature and characteristics of the problem

iv.socio-economic effects of waste management

v.Environmental effects of flooding

vi. Pracautions to take during flooding

vii. Pracautions to take after flooding

7 .GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING

i .some disciplines of geological engineering

8 .PROPOSED SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM

9 .CONCLUSION

10 .RECOMMENDATIONS
 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the course
The formal provost of the College of Engineering (CoE) introduced CENG 291 as a course for
all first year engineering students moving to second year. The course makes students appreciate
the essence of engineering in the society by making them identify the problems of the society
and laying out ways it can be curbed as well. It instill the problem solving ability in students and
help prepare them for the outside world. This report stresses on flooding in the society, its causes
and ways it can be remedied as well.

Aims and Objectives

It is my vision that at the end of the project, I should be able to;

I. Know the causes of flooding in Awutu Senya East-Kasoa.

II. Identify the effects that flooding is imposing on the habitants and environs of Kasoa
III. Suggest effective solution that can help curb the situation through engineering means.
IV. Show the connection or link between Geological Engineering and the problem.
METHODOLOGY

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

Flooding as one environmental hazard poses a serious danger or risk to lives and properties of
people in the environment. Therefore flooding can be defined as the accumulation of excessive
quantity of water in an area without flowing away easily .It can also be defined as the
accumulation of an abnormal large volume of water in an area, which has refused to percolate or
flow away. The rapid increase of flooding had rendered agricultural and commercial activities
even resident land use had been degraded or damaged in Kasoa.

Since early 1970s flooding has posed difficulties to land and occupation of villages and towns
found in Awutu Senya East .The causes of flooding in this places may have been caused by
activities on the part of cattle rearers, which caused different types of environmental degradation
in the area. The other reason for flooding which was found from investigations was the poor
drainage system of the town. From other investigations I carried out, I also discovered that the
people in the community faced other problems too including poor waste disposal, noise
pollution, and poor road networks but the most recurring was the issue of flooding as illustrated
in the diagram below.

chart showing various environmental problems in

Kasoa

noise pollution poor waste disposal poor road network flooding

Figure 1pie chart showing problems in Kasoa by a sample of 40 people

MAP PREPARATION

During the methodology of the project, I had to get a map of the Kasoa community from online
sources in order to be able to know about how to carry out the project in the community and
which parts to concentrate my efforts on in collecting the right data for the project.

METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION

Another important process in this project is the method of data collection. Data in this
document was collected through the observation of various part of the town and careful study of
the drainage system of the community. In addition, people who live at flood prone parts were
interviewed and then their thoughts were taken which contributed to the information given in
this document.

More so, various searches made on the internet concerning the situation or problem on the
internet also made some very vital contributions to the document or project as a whole.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

DISCRIPTION OF COMMUNITY

Kasoa formally known as Odupongkpehe is a peri-urban town in the Awutu Senya East
Municipal District of the Central Region of Ghana. The average elevation of kasoa is 75 m
above sea level. Kasoa experiences five months dry season lasting from November through
March. The dry season is followed by 7 months of rainy season ,the rainy season is usually
characterized by flooding, low crop yield, and financial strain for a large portions of kasoa
population.Fante (a dialect of Akan) and Ewutu (a dialect of Guan) are the indigenous to Kasoa.
Akan and English are the most commonly spoken languages. Kasoa is traditionally home to the
Gomoa and Awutu tribes who belong to the Akan ethnic group. Today, it is home to other
ethnic groups such as Gas, Akans, Ewes, Walas/Dagartis, Mostries, Basares and other smaller
tribes. As of 2010, Kasoa's population was estimated to be 69,384 people. Ghana has
experienced rapid population growth in the past three decades. The population growth directly
affects Kasoa, and other peri-urban areas. Kasoa is reported to be one of the fastest growing
communities in West Africa. Kasoa is home to one of the most prominent markets in the
Awutu-Senya district. Agro-processed products are popular items at these markets. One of these
products is cassava that is processed into popular food items called ‘agbelima’ and ‘gari’.
Agriculture and business associated with agriculture is one of the leading economic activities
for Kasoa's working population. Farming and fishing are very popular in the lowlands near the
coast.

Figure 2 map of Kasoa

 NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROBLEM

Flooding has been a great torn in the flesh of people living in Awutu Senya East district, to be
specific kasoa. Almost every year, we record an increasing number of occurrences whereby
flooding has cost destruction to the habitants of kasoa in a form of loss of valuable lives
especially that of kids who have either close from school or are away from their parents and
destruction of properties including plants, breakdown of electronic gadgets, over flooding of
rooms causing many people to migrate from their homes to other places till their rooms dry up or
the rainfall season end before they return. Due to these, any time people see the clouds are heavy
or giving signals of rainfall, they start packing their belongings to safe places .These have made
live in Kasoa very uncomfortable and cause much financial hardship in the town since we
sacrifice most of the months in the year fighting flooding. Many people has proposed ways we
can remedy the situation but still to no avail.

Figure 3 a house flooded in Kasoa

From my personally observation, the layout of houses and other structures in kasoa is very pool,
this has made it difficult for the rain to flow off to the main water bodies in the town, therefore it
end up accumulating at any low land and entering homes and schools as well hence causing
intense destruction. Another generator of flooding in Kasoa is the building of houses along rain
channels and close to water bodies; this makes it easy for water to get into house when the water
bodies over flow their banks.

Figure 4 cars washed into water bodies

Also during my investigation through interviews, most of the habitants blamed the central
government for the inadequate and poorly contracted drainage systems in Kasoa. According to
them, the gutters in kasoa are very few to meet the requirement of the population , also the the few
ones left are also poorly constructed and with very small sizes, so during any heavy rainfall the
gutters overflow to the roads inhibiting the movement of cars .One woman during an interview
blamed the market women for the overflow of the gutters due to the fact that, most of the market
woman dumb their wastes into the gutters which makes it get choke always, inhibiting the free
flow water hence flooding the market.

Figure 5 Kasoa market flooded

SOCIO ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF FLOODING

Loss of live and valuable properties:

Immediate impacts of flooding include loss of human life, damage to property, destruction of
crops, loss of livestock, non-functioning of infrastructure facilities and deterioration of health
condition owing to waterborne diseases. Flash floods, with little or no warning time, cause more
deaths than slow-rising riverine floods. In monetary terms, the extent of damages caused by floods
is on the one hand dependent on the extent, depth and duration of flooding, and the velocities of
flows in the flooded areas. On the other hand, it is dependent on the vulnerabilities of economic
activities and communities.

Loss of livelihoods:

As communication links and infrastructure such as power plants, roads and bridges are damaged
and disrupted, economic activities come to a standstill, resulting in dislocation and the
dysfunction of normal life for a period much beyond the duration of the flooding. Similarly, the
direct effect on production assets be it in agriculture or industry, can inhibit regularly activity
and lead to loss of livelihoods. The spillover effects of the loss of livelihoods can be felt in
business and commercial activities even in adjacent non-flooded areas

Decreased purchasing and production power:

Damage to infrastructure also causes long-term impacts, such as disruptions of clean water and
electricity supply, transport, communication, education and health care. Loss of livelihoods,
reduction in purchasing power and loss of land value in the flood plains lead to increased
vulnerabilities of communities living in the area. The additional cost of rehabilitation, relocation
of people and removal of property from flood-affected areas can divert the capital required for
maintaining production.

Mass migration:

Frequent flooding, resulting in loss of livelihoods, production and other prolonged economic
impacts and types of suffering can trigger mass migration or population displacement. Migration
to developed urban areas contributes to the overcrowding in the cities. These migrants swell the
ranks of the urban poor and end up living in marginal lands or informal settlements that are
prone to floods or other risks. Selective out-migration of the workforce sometimes creates
complex social problems.

Psychosocial effects:

The huge psychosocial effects on flood victims and their families can traumatize them for long
periods. The loss of loved ones can generate deep impacts, especially on children. Displacement
from one’s home, loss of property, loss of memorabilia and livelihoods, decreased levels of
security in the aftermath of floods and in temporary shelters, and disruption to business and
social affairs can cause stress. The stress of overcoming these losses can be overwhelming and
produce lasting psychological impacts.

Hindering economic growth and development:

The high cost of relief and recovery may adversely impact investment in infrastructure and other
development activities in the area and in certain cases may cripple the frail economy of the
region. Recurrent flooding in a region may discourage long-term investments by the government
and private sector alike. Lack of livelihoods, combined with migration of skilled labour and
inflation may have a negative on a region’s economic growth. Loss of resources can lead to high
costs of goods and services, delaying its development programmes.

Political implications:

Ineffective flood response and relief operations during major flood events regularly lead to
public discontent or loss of trust in the authorities or the state and national governments. Lack of
development in flood-prone areas may cause social inequity and even social unrest posing threat
to peace and stability in the region.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF FLOODING

Flooding can have a variety of direct impacts on the environment and ecosystems contained
within a flooded region. Some of these impacts are positive; flooding is a natural ecological
process that plays an integral role in ensuring biological productivity and diversity in the flood
plain. Other impacts of flooding may be less positive, and in some cases can result in
environmental degradation. The most extensive and difficult to repair environmental damage
usually occurs in developed areas located in the floodplain.

Flooding can directly affect the health and wellbeing of wildlife and livestock; riverbank
erosion and sedimentation; the dispersal of nutrients and pollutants; surface and groundwater
supplies; and local landscapes and habitats.
Figure 6 people trying to cross a flooded version of a road in Kasoa

DIRECT IMPACTS

Wildlife and livestock health and well-being:

Flooding can affect the health and well-being of wildlife and livestock. Large quantities of
water can negatively affect natural, ranching, and farming habitats. For example, after the 2011
Queensland, Australia floods, thousands of animals died because of water inundating their
habitats. Furthermore, livestock unable to relocate to higher ground in time were washed away
by floodwaters or forced to stand in polluted water until rescued.
If a flood is large enough, it can result in a loss of wildlife and biodiversity in the flooded
region. This may reduce the level of biodiversity, habitat potential and food present in the
ecosystem, creating long-term impacts for surviving wildlife.

Riverbank erosion and sedimentation:

Riverbank erosion is caused by high and fast moving water that exceeds riverbanks. The
impact of riverbank erosion is most felt in developed areas.

Sediment may act as a form of non-point source water pollution that can clog riverbeds and
streams as well as reduce storage capacity for reservoirs and wetlands. Floodwaters can carry
large amounts of sediment and leave deposits behind once flood waters recede. If extreme
enough, sedimentation can degrade water quality and temporarily affect municipal, industrial
and recreational water supply

Dispersal of nutrients and pollution:

Floodwater can contain debris, pollutants and nutrients. Debris can include trees and stones, or
even pieces of houses. Pollutants in floodwater, such as bacteria and pesticides, can be carried
far distances. Sedimentation and turbidity can result in the growth of algae and phytoplankton
blooms that jeopardize water quality.

Important nutrients and mineral deposits can also be dispersed by floodwater, resulting in
improved plant growth and overall ecosystem health. Over time, the nutrients, organic material
and sediment carried by floodwaters and deposited on the landscape can provide fertility
benefits.

Replenishment of Surface and Groundwater

One of the positive direct benefits of flooding is the replenishment of surface water and
groundwater supplies. The replenishment of supplies can benefit soil, resulting in healthy
crops and pastures.

Local landscape and habitat:

Flooding can change local landscapes and habitats. For example, John Pomeroy, a professor
and water researcher at the University of Saskatchewan, explained that the 2013 Alberta floods
changed the Rocky Mountains and foothills region, thus altering everything from how future
floods will play out to how animals will build habitats in these regions.

In urban areas, flooding can be extremely damaging and costly, as it can negatively affect
infrastructure, homes and businesses. In the natural environment, however, flooding has a
more positive impact on the natural environment as floodwater provides nourishment to the
landscape.

PRACAUTION DURING FLOODING

- Keep calm, do not panic.

- Warn neighbors and give priority to helping the handicapped, children and the elderly.

- Keep informed of the danger and how it may evolve, listen to the radio but do not use the
telephone without good reason (do not overload the lines).

- Switch off electricity, gas and central heating. If there is enough time move valuable or
delicate objects and pollutant products to the higher levels of the strongest parts of the
building.

- Implement the measures planned for the immediate protection of people and the environment
(if possible untie and set free animals from stables and other such buildings).

- If obliged to leave your house, lock it securely and make your way on foot to the evacuation
zone using the route indicated by the authorities (especially in cases of hydraulic dam bursts).

- Take with you only what is strictly necessary (emergency baggage, identity and personal
papers, medicines).

- Do not cross flooded areas on foot or in a vehicle. If necessary, secure yourself by holding
onto ropes or cables.
- Collaborate with public safety bodies and the services helping the homeless.

PRACAUTION AFTER FLOODING

- Keep calm, do not panic.

- Check and see if there any injured people in the vicinity and, if possible, help them.

- Listen to the radio but do not use the telephone unnecessarily.

- Collaborate with official rescue and assistance services helping the victims.

- Collaborate in the identification of bodies.

- Make yourself available to help with rehabilitation work.

GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING.

Geology is an earth science, which deals with the solid Earth, the rock of which is
composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Geology can also include the
study of the solid features of any terrestrial planet or natural satellite such as mars or the
moon. Engineering is the application of science to the optimum conversion of the
resources of nature to the uses of humankind. All combine, Geological engineering is the
study of engineering science of applying engineering principles to the study of geological
materials as part of the engineering design of facilities including roads ,tunnels ,and mines
especially as related to mineral products. Some see it as a merging of the disciplines of
geology and engineering and material science, but, while it include aspects of all, it has
several specializations undue to the field. Geological engineers are particularly prized in
the field of mining, including the fields of mine development, exploration, and operation.
Geological engineers conduct slope stability analysis, and design remediations for unstable
slopes including landslides for mining concerns and civil engineering projects. They are
involved in both civil and mining tunneling projects.

DISCIPLINES UNDER GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING

I. MINERALOGY: concern with the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and
physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies
within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of
minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.

ii. GEOPHYSICS: concerned with the physical processes and physical properties of the Earth
and its surrounding space environment, and the use of quantitative methods for their analysis.
The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its
gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and composition; its dynamics and their
surface expression in plate tectonics, the generation of magmas, volcanism and rock formation.
However, modern geophysics organizations use a broader definition that includes the water
cycle including snow and ice; fluid dynamics of the oceans and the atmosphere; electricity and
magnetism in the ionosphere and magnetosphere and solar-terrestrial relations; and analogous
problems associated with the Moon and other planets

iii. PETROLOGY: the branch of geology that studies rocks and the conditions under which
they form. Petrology has three subdivisions: igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary
petrology. Igneous and metamorphic petrology are commonly taught together because they
both contain heavy use of chemistry, chemical methods, and phase diagrams. Sedimentary
petrology is, on the other hand, commonly taught together with stratigraphy because it deals
with the processes that form sedimentary rock.

iv. GEOCHEMISTRY: concern with the chemical composition of the materials in the earth
and chemical reactions in the natural environment. Is the science that uses the tools and
principles of chemistry to explain the mechanisms behind major geological systems such as the
Earth's crust and its oceans. The realm of geochemistry extends beyond the Earth,
encompassing the entire Solar System, and has made important contributions to the
understanding of a number of processes including mantle convection, the formation of planets
and the origins of granite and basalt.

v. SEISMOLOGY: deals with the study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves
through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of
earthquake environmental effects such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as
volcanic, tectonic, oceanic, atmospheric, and artificial processes such as explosions. A related
field that uses geology to infer information regarding past earthquakes is paleo seismology. A
recording of earth motion as a function of time is called a seismogram. A seismologist is a
scientist who does research in seismology.

vi. ECONOMIC GEOLOGY : concerned with earth materials that can be used for economic
and/or industrial purposes. These materials include precious and base metals, nonmetallic
minerals, construction-grade stone, petroleum, natural gas, coal, and water. Economic geology
is a sub discipline of the geosciences; according to Lindgren (1933) it is “the application of
geology”. Today, it may be called the scientific study of the Earth's sources of mineral raw
materials and the practical application of the acquired knowledge. The term commonly refers
to metallic mineral deposits and mineral resources. The techniques employed by other earth
science disciplines (such as geochemistry, mineralogy, geophysics, petrology and structural
geology) might all be used to understand, describe, and exploit an ore deposit.

vii MEDICAL GEOLOGY ; is an emerging interdisciplinary scientific field studying the

relationship between natural geological factors and their effects on human and animal
health.[1] The Commission on Geological Sciences for Environmental Planning defines
medical geology as, "The science dealing with the influence of ordinary environmental factors
on the geographical distribution of health problems in man and animals. In its broadest sense,
medical geology studies exposure to or deficiency of trace elements and minerals; inhalation of
ambient and anthropogenic mineral dusts and volcanic emissions; transportation, modification
and concentration of organic compounds; and exposure to radionuclides, microbes and
pathogens.

viii. STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY; is the study of the three-dimensional distribution of rock

units with respect to their deformational histories. The primary goal of structural geology is to
use measurements of present-day rock geometries to uncover information about the history of
deformation (strain) in the rocks, and ultimately, to understand the stress field that resulted in
the observed strain and geometries. This understanding of the dynamics of the stress field can
be linked to important events in the geologic past; a common goal is to understand the
structural evolution of a particular area with respect to regionally widespread patterns of rock
deformation (e.g., mountain building, rifting) due to plate tectonics.

IX. HYDROGEOLOGY: (hydro- meaning water, and -geology meaning the study of the
Earth) is the area of geology that deals with the distribution and movement of groundwater in
the soil and rocks of the Earth's crust (commonly in aquifers). The terms groundwater
hydrology, geohydrology, and hydrogeology are often used interchangeably. Groundwater
engineering, another name for hydrogeology, is a branch of engineering, which is concerned
with groundwater movement, and design of wells, pumps, and drains. The main concerns in
groundwater engineering include groundwater contamination, conservation of supplies, and
water quality.

X ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY: like hydrogeology, is an applied science concerned

with the practical application of the principles of geology in the solving of environmental
problems. It is a multidisciplinary field that is closely related to engineering geology and, to a
lesser extent, to environmental geography. Each of these fields involves the study of the
interaction of humans with the geologic environment, including the biosphere, the lithosphere,
the hydrosphere, and to some extent the atmosphere. In other words, environmental geology is
the application of geological information to solve conflicts, minimizing possible adverse
environmental degradation or maximizing possible advantageous condition resulting from the
use of natural and modified environment.

PREVENTION OF FLOODING

Humans cannot stop the rains from falling or stop flowing surface water from bursting its
banks. These are natural events, but we can do something to prevent them from having great
impact. Here are a few the measures we can to prevent flooding;

I. FLOOD EDUCATION

In many developing countries, drainage systems are chocked with litter and people have
little knowledge of the effects that can have during a rain. When it rains, waterways and
culverts are blocked by massive chunks of litter and debris, and water finds its way into the
streets and into people's homes. Education is therefore very important; to inform and
caution people about the dangers of floods, what causes floods, and what can be done to
minimize its impact. The media, chiefs of the various towns in kasoa and the
Environmental Protection Agency, can make this education.
II. ACQUIRING PERMIISSION BEFORE BUILDING.

The slamy layout of buildings at the various areas prone to flooding is also a great
contributing factor to the frequent flooding; therefore, it is important that builders acquire
permission before buildings are erected. This will ensure that waterways are not blocked.

III. CONSTRUCTIONS OF MORE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AND LARGER ONES AS

WELL.

Figure 7 an image showing how a major drain in the vicinity carries water during heavy downpours

There is also the need for more and larger drainage systems in Kasoa. This will make it
easy for the running water to move smoothly into the larger water bodies and prevent
branching into surrounding houses .After the construction, there is the need for the
community to organize frequent clean up exercises to help remove sand and other waste
materials the chokes the gutter
 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the issue of flooding in Kasoa ranges from a series of factors. Some of these
factors include poor drainage system, the poor layout of the Kasoa community
List of references