A Planning Framework for Flood Mitigation in Nakuru City, Kenya

Abstract

Flooding has become an increasingly critical challenge in Nakuru City exacerbated by both natural and
human-induced factors. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive planning framework for flood
mitigation within Nakuru City by examining the causes and proposing potential solutions to flooding.
Observations on flooding roads in Kaptembwa, emerging of fault lines in Eveready and sink holes in
Rhonda was captured through photography. Annual rainfall data was acquired from Kenya Meteorological
Department with an interval of five years from1985. Sentinel 2 data from Copernicus Data Hub was used in
land use analysis and determining the topography of the area while Landsat 8 image was used to examine
the extent of Lake Nakuru over years and mapping flood hotspot areas. SPSS was used to analyze both
spatial and statistical data for floods. Findings revealed that Nakuru City’s flooding is primarily driven
by intense rainfall, topography, poor drainage infrastructure and unregulated urban development. The
paper proposes a flood mitigation framework focused on sustainable land-use planning, environmental
conservation, stakeholder collaboration, and early warning systems. The study will give guidelines for
urban planning practices in areas that were found to be highly susceptible to flooding. Policies can then be
crafted through various departments to tackle environmental planning, disaster management and urban
resilience. Residence of affected areas can also use this research to plan ahead and mitigate dangers of
flooding.