An Assessment of Jeddah’s Hydraulic Protection and Management Systems of Flood

Abstract

Located in the South-west of Saudi Arabia, Jeddah is more than a harbour. It is Saudi Arabia’s biggest Red Sea city and second only to Riyadh the capital. During summer, this metropolis becomes a political capital and a tourist resort for foreigners and Saudis alike. The city of Jeddah was affected by serious and unexpected floods; two great ones took place in 2009, and in 2011. The human and material toll was considerable, since these floods caused the death of hundreds of people, damaged thousands of buildings built on basins’ slopes, which, however, had the necessary building permits. To cope with these natural disasters, several urban hydraulic measures were undertaken: like building dams and canals to collect surface waters. These urban measures aimed at the protection of inhabitants and belongings against the risks of floods as well as the interception and the drainage of water streams. Although these protection measures are important, expensive, and effective, they are no longer enough or effective to cope with the evolution of the natural disasters that the city of Jeddah is constantly exposed to. These protective hydraulic measures have not made it possible to reach risk zero situations. Damages and risks are transferred to other zones. After reviewing the description of the city of Jeddah, its urban sprawl and thus the damage suffered following the floods of 2009 and 2011, we draw up an inventory of the infrastructures set up in order to protect the city and minimize the damage during future floods. We will also expose a criticism of these infrastructures through the previous scientific works and through the observation during the rains of 2015 and 2016.