Flood Hazard Index Application in Arid Catchments: Case of the Taguenit Wadi Watershed, Lakhssas, Morocco

During the last decade, climate change has generated extreme rainfall events triggering flash floods in short periods worldwide. The delimitation of flood zones by detailed mapping generally makes it possible to avoid human and economic losses, especially regions at high risk flooding. Taguenit basin, located southern Morocco, is a particular case. this basin method Flood Hazard Index (FHI) GIS geographic information systems environment was based on multi-criteria analysis, taking into consideration seven parameters influencing these phenomena, namely rainfall, slope, flow accumulation, drainage network density, distance from rivers, permeability, land use. Average annual data for 37 years (1980 2016) used study floodplain mapping. A weight calculated each parameter using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. combination maps different made draw up final map classified five intervals: very high, moderate, lower presenting, respectively, 8.04%, 20.63%, 31.47%, 15.36%, 24.50% area basin. reliability tested susceptibility analysis. results model are similar those previous historical events. Realistic applicable solutions have been proposed minimize impact as much possible.