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FLODHEA

FLOods and Drought Hazards in East Africa

- C. MOLOGNI -

Investigating past and present major hydrological events and soil vulnerability in Djibouti to help prevent and mitigate the impact of floods and drought events in East Africa.

Academy 3 highlight

The Flodhea Project aims to provide the knowledge and tools to prevent and mitigate flood and drought hazards in East Africa, notably in Djibouti. It aligns with the transdisciplinary theme of the Academy by focusing on “hazard observation, understanding, and risk anticipation.” These efforts directly support UN SDGs 3, 6, and 13, emphasizing health, clean water access, and climate action.

The project

In recent years, East Africa has experienced rapid climate warming, particularly in Djibouti, leading to heightened risks of floods and droughts. These changes have disrupted the region's hydrological cycle, resulting in more intense flash-flood events and increased scarcity of rainfall during the long monsoonal season, which pose serious threats to food production systems and water resources. The Flodhea Project is taking the first steps to address these challenges by estimating the impact of anomalous floods and extreme dry periods on water resources and soil development in Djibouti's semi-arid regions.
The project has three main objectives:

Observation and measurement in shallow aquifers: This involves monitoring changes in groundwater levels during floods and droughts. Specialized sensors have been installed in agricultural pits and rivers to measure water level, temperature, and conductivity every 30 minutes for at least a year. This data will provide valuable insights into how hydro-climatic events affect groundwater resources.
Palaeohydrological evolution: The project aims to understand hydrological changes in the region over the last 10,000 years. By studying river incision rates, we can estimate the intensity and timing of past extreme flooding periods. This historical data will be useful in the future for building predictive models of flood hazards in Djibouti.
Soil cover degradation: The study aims to monitor soil systems to understand their pedological development, degradation, and vulnerability. Using sedimentological and geochemical techniques such as total organic carbon analysis, elemental geochemistry, and lithium isotopes on clay minerals, the project will reconstruct the history of soil cover degradation in semi-arid regions, specifically focusing on the Lake Abhe basin and the Day National Forest in Djibouti.

The project's outputs will contribute to better understanding and predicting future flood risks and droughts in Djibouti. By collaborating with local agricultural stakeholders, the project seeks to develop sustainable management responses to climate change and ensure the long-term resilience of semi-arid regions. Overall, the Flodhea Project aims to address the urgent challenges posed by climate change in East Africa and contribute to the sustainable development of the region.

flodhea Installing piezometric sensors in the agricultural wells of the As’Ela Gardens for monitoring changes in the shallow aquifer in the Gobaad valley, March 2024, Djibouti. C. Mologni

The +

The Flodhea Project is investigating the impact of rapid climate warming in East Africa, notably in Djibouti, where floods and droughts are becoming more frequent. It focuses on assessing how these extreme events affect water resources and soil development in semi-arid regions.

What’s next?

The Flodhea project should grow into a comprehensive program for addressing the region's pressing environmental challenges (in all East African countries, including Ethiopia, Uganda, and Kenya). Its results will serve as valuable inputs for developing numerical predictive models that will serve firstly, for collectively managing responses to floods and drought hazards in partnership with local institutions and NGOs, and secondly, for formulating sustainable development strategies in collaboration with local research centers in Djibouti.

Project information

Scientific domain Earth and Environmental Sciences Natural Risks	Key words Climate Change Floods Hazards Drought Hazards Soil Vulnerability Cities and societies
Total budget €13,600, including €6,300 from Academy 3	Students involved Mohammed Abdillahi Robleh (Master)
Partners Géoazur – Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, OCA, IRD International collaborations CERD – Djibouti University of Addis Ababa - Ethiopia	Project members Carlo Mologni Christophe Renac Benoit Viguier Osman Awaleh

Carlo Mologni

Géoazur – Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, OCA, IRD

Scientific promotion of the project

Mologni C., Quand l’Afar était humide : Comment les changements climatiques modifient les paysages et les environnements à Djibouti. Conférence Grand Public à L’Institut Français de Djibouti en collaboration avec le Centre D’études et de Recherche de Djibouti le 27 Mars 2024.
https://social.numerique.gouv.fr/@umrGeoazur/112160733646068942