Flood Hazard Mapping in Western Luxor, Egypt using Remote Sensing and Spatial Analyses

Watershed management is critical to sustainable development. The topographical, and hydrogeomor-phological conditions in the western part of the Luxor region give rise to sudden floods. The purpose of the present study is to map the flood hazard zones in the western part of Luxor by using: 1- linear Watershed Index Model (LWIM) through the identification of 24 morphometric parameters; 2- DEM, as input to the GIS environment, using the Arc hydro-Tool; 3- Remote sensing (RS), is built into GIS to detect LU /LC via supervised classification of Landsat images, for the year 1991/2021, and Dreanig density (Dd) maps; 4-Integration of LWIM, Dd, and LU/LC maps. Results indicated that agricultural land increased by approximately (292.7 km 2 ), while urbanization increased by (43 km 2 ) between 1991 and 2021, expanding toward the western structure plateau. This study concluded that flood areas west of Luxor are confined to the desert area west of cities Luxor - Arment, and Isna. These areas represent 13.25 % of the hazard flooding zones. The study proposed to establish small dams with diversion channels in the way of the mainstream channels with high orders 4 th and directed the water of flood to new canals which joined with the main canals in the study area, re-design of the desert zone west of Luxor.