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.