Shakeel Mahmood

By Shakeel Mahmood and Razia Rani

This chapter analyzes the extent of flood damages in the Chenab basin upper Indus plain. The upper Indus plain is a fertile area and supports millions of human population and diverse economic activities. Every year in summer, the combined action of monsoon rain water and meltwater (melting of snow and glaciers) augment rivers discharge leading to damaging flood. The study region is prone to floods. The upstream areas of Chenab basin are mountainous and experiences characteristics of flash floods, whereas riverine floods dominate the lower reach. In wake of observed climate change, there is a rising trend in temperature, which indicates the early and rapid melting of snow and glaciers in the catchment areas. The analysis reveals that the spatial and temporal scales of violent weather events have also been grown during the past three decades. The substantial increase in heavy precipitation events and rapid melting of snow in the headwater region, siltation in river channels, human encroachments on the active flood plain and bursting of embankments have further escalated the flooding events. Analysis further reveals that in the study region, almost every year, the floodwater overflows the levees and cause damages to standing crops, infrastructure and sources of livelihood, and incurs human casualties.

Part of the book: Natural Hazards

By Shakeel Mahmood

The study is an attempt to analyze municipal solid waste generation Dir City, District Dir Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. This study has utilized primary data collected through a semi-structured questionnaire and direct waste sampling as primary research. Mathematical analysis and descriptive statistical analysis is applied and generation of municipal solid waste at different scales is estimated. Results indicated that the total waste generated was 16.65 million kg/annum (18356.5 tons) or 45624 kg/day (50.29 tons), or 0.37 kg/capita. Average waste produced by residential, commercial, educational and health sectors was 3.3 kg, 21 kg, 12 kg and 7 kg, correspondingly. Among all, residential sector was the leading producer with 40738 kg (89%) follow by commercial sector 4321 kg (9%) per day while remaining in fraction. High income households and large size families were producing average waste of 5.6 kg/day and 4.9 kg/day, respectively. The main components of waste generated in the study area included paper (8%), organic matter (53%), plastics (12%), clay, pebbles, gravels, ashes and broken ceramic objects (24.8%). The spatial distribution of waste generation varies across the city, high rate of generation was found Rehankot and Shaow whereas Fringe areas were characterized by low generation rate.

Part of the book: Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development

By Zara Tariq and Shakeel Mahmood

Globally, soil erosion is a severe environmental issue, particularly in mountainous regions, leading to substantial declines in soil productivity. This study aims to quantify soil loss in Eastern Hindu Kush region using Revised Universal Soil Erosion Loss Equation (RUSLE) approach integrated with Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS). The study considers various factors including rainfall, soil erodibility, topography, slope, and land use to model annual soil loss rates. Rainfall erosivity (R), slope length and steepness (LS), soil erodibility (K), cover management (C), and conservation practice (P) were utilized as input parameters. These parameters are integrated to estimate soil erosion risk zones through raster-based GIS analysis, categorizing soil loss severity into five classes. The results show soil loss rates ranging from > 50 to over 276 tons/ha/year, indicating varying levels of severity. The distribution of soil loss severity is as follows: 37% of the area falls under insignificant, 16% under slight, 22% under moderate, 11% under severe, 6% under very severe, and 8% under catastrophic severity zones. Notably, valley areas with steep slopes and significant relief display higher erosion rates. The intricate and challenging terrain of the Eastern Hindu Kush makes it particularly susceptible to soil erosion risks.

Part of the book: Soil Erosion