Simulation of the flood wave caused by hypothetical failure of the Haditha Dam

Abstract

In this research, the flood wave resulting from the hypothetical overtopping failure of the Haditha Dam on the Euphrates River, Iraq, was simulated, utilizing the ArcMap 10.2 and HEC-RAS 5.0.7 software and the observed field data from the Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources. Flooding parameters were calculated, for the study reach from the Haditha Dam to Heet city and major cities in between. The Manning coefficient of the study reach was calibrated to 0.035 and 0.07 for the main river and the floodplain, respectively. The results showed the flood wave propagation along the study reach, the flood hydrograph and time to the peak discharge/time to the maximum water surface elevation, maximum velocity, and width of the inundated area at the selected cities. The analysis outputs and the inundation maps can be used to provide an emergency action plan for the flooded regions.

KEYWORDS:

• ArcMap
• HEC-RAS
• Haditha Dam
• dam break
• flood

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Harith Hamad Mhmood

Harith Hamad Mhmood received his MSc degree in Hydraulics and Water Resources in the Department of Civil Engineering at Atilim University, Turkey, in 2021. His main research interests are in dam break analysis and flood modeling.

Meric Yilmaz

Meric Yilmaz is an assistant professor of Hydraulics and Water Resources in the Department of Civil Engineering at Atilim University, Turkey. She received her PhD degree in Hydraulics and Water Resources, Middle East Technical University, Turkey in 2015. Her main research interests are in bridge hydraulics, flood modeling, prediction of precipitation and temperature by remote sensing and hydrologic models.

Sadeq Oleiwi Sulaiman

Sadeq Oleiwi Sulaiman is an assistant professor of Engineering Hydrology, Water Resources Management and Sediment Transport in the Department of Dams & Water Resources in the Engineering College at the University of Anbar, Iraq. He received his PhD degree in Water Resources Engineering from the Buildings and Constructions Faculty, University of Technology, Iraq, in 2009. His main research interests are in flood modeling, water demand prediction, water resources management, sustainability. He is the Head of Department of Dams & Water Resources in the Engineering College of the University of Anbar, Iraq.