Socio-Ecological Collaborative Flood Control Model (SEFC): A Feasibility Study of Oti River in Ghana

Abstract

Flooding is a global natural calamity that is equally destructive to human populations and their built environment as it is to natural terrestrial ecosystems. Land-use changes, environmental uncertainties and insufficient protective measures have put Ghana’s Oti River watershed at considerable risk of floods. Although short-term flood control measures utilizing reservoirs and embankments work well, they cause ecological stress and exhibit unsustainable economic considerations. The Socio-Ecological Collaborative Flood Control Model (SEFC) is a contemporary intervention that unifies restoration plans, flood control regulations, and community engagement in a single, strategic scheme. The study presents SEFC as an integrated approach to flood control that fosters positive relationships between social well-being, economic success, and environmental prosperity. The model successfully increases the flood water retention capacity of riparian vegetation, buffer zone ecosystems and wetlands through its inherent flood avoidance function. The framework enables community members to take part in flood mitigation projects through participatory governance platforms by establishing local alarm systems and implementing sustainable land-use practices. Through an analysis of its practical feasibility in an environment that faces a variety of ecological conditions and socioeconomic challenges, the evaluation looks at the possibility for SEFC implementation in the Oti River basin. In order to assess SEFC’s potential for flood risk reduction, degraded zone restoration and community sustainability development, this study integrates water modelling approaches with ecological evaluations and stakeholder input. The study establishes SEFC as a flexible flood control strategy that may be used as a template for river basins around the globe.