Appraisal of Existing River Protections in Kassala Town

Abstract

Kassala Town is frequently inundated by the Gash River. The flood of 2003 caused great damages and extensive losses of lives, resulting in an estimated loss of 575 million U.S.Dollars.The main objective of this study is the appraisal of the existing protection and training structure, and quantifying the sediment transported by the Gash River. It is found that the Gash River transports 15 million tons (40 million cubic meters) of sediment annually passing downstream Kassala Town. The appraisal revealed that although the adopted spur and dike system was and still is the ideal approach to train the Gash River and protect Kassala Town, yet the undesired man activities coupled with absence of maintenance were the main causes of inundations. In 1984, the bed of the Gash River near Kassala Town was 10 centimeter below the general ground level of Kassala Town. After 1984 the practiced undesired activities raised the bed of the Gash River two meters higher than Kassala Town general land level. It is recommended to enforce a law prohibiting these undesired activities as well as rehabilitation of the existing spur dike system