Flood management in the Maltese islands; taking Qormi as a case study

Abstract

Qormi; the area under study, has a long history of water connections since the first people settled in the area, probably attracted by water availability and the prescience of fertile lands along the valley. This settlement developed as a river town within the vicinity of the Sewda Valley, which provided a source of water and agricultural land, and served a basis for commercial activities for many communities, dating back to ancient Roman and Phoenician times. Since the 1950s, development has continuously taken place along 'Wied is-Sewda', especially between the 1970s and 1980s, as part of the expansion of St. George's Area. During this period, the valley underwent the development of roads, residential areas, and commercial zones, leaving scattered pockets of agricultural land undeveloped. The significant increase of urban areas along the Sewda River System watershed and 'Wied is-Sewda' itself, gave rise to a series of stormwater-induced flooding issues in the area. Today 'Wied is-Sewda', together with the area of Qormi, has become renown as one of the most flood-prone locations across the Maltese Islands. As a result of the increase in impervious surfaces and inadequate stormwater management over the past 30 years, large volumes of surface runoff accumulate along the watercourse after precipitation occurs. When the amount of stormwater exceeds the water-carrying-capacity of the channel, the flow rises above the embankments inundating adjacent areas, causing extensive damage to nearby residential, agricultural, commercial and recreational zone, and posing health risks to the local people. This dissertation provides a brief analysis, of the flood-related environmental and socio-economic issues currently present along 'Wied is-Sewda' that were mninly icfontlficct through a questionnaire and landuse survey.