State of the Canal before and after flooding

The datasets presented here were collected during a study on the assessment of community vulnerability to flooding in the city of Basse in the Upper-river region of The Gambia between 2013 and 2015.

The canal (drainage system) constructed at the entrance of Kaba-Kama was built by the government as a measure to increase protection against the flood risk. However, that canal had quite different impacts than expected. Indeed, during heavy precipitation, the canal, having small depth and width, rapidly reaches its carrying capacity, leading to an overflow that affects residences located nearby. Moreover, the canal is often used illegally by inhabitants as a site to throw solid waste, which further complicates the normal flow of the runoff during rainy periods.