Author(s)

Maurille P. S. Lanmandjèkpogni^1,2,3*, François De Paule Codo¹, Babilas Hountondji¹, Benjamin Kouassi Yao³

¹Laboratory of Water Science and Technology (LSTE), National Water Institute (INE), University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin.
²International Chairin Mathematical Physics and Applications (CIPMA), University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin.
³Laboratory of Industrial Processes, Briefs, Environment and New Energy (LAPISEEN), Process Group and Environment, National Polytechnic Institute Houphouet-Boigny (INP-HB), Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast.

Physiographic differences and conditions of use of water resources in anthropogenic basins explain the variability of risk to surface water. Based on the multi-criteria analysis of Saaty, the present work proposes an assessment of the vulnerability of surface water through a three-factor accessibility index: the slope, the subdivision rate and the drainage density of the basin. It is observed that the topographic (slope) and urbanistic (subdivision) conditions are the most important (weighting of 59%, 34%) in front of the hydrographic condition (drainage 6%) with an overall consistency of 2%. Thus, in the Okpara basin in the city of Parakou, the analysis of the vulnerability of surface waters by the accessibility index highlights two groups. The Ganré and Kokouro basins with about 30% of their areas in the low and moderate classes and the Wonka and Dama basins in the very strong class at more than 50% of their areas.

Accessibility, Risk, Vulnerability, Index, Okpara

Lanmandjèkpogni, M. , Codo, F. , Hountondji, B. and Yao, B. (2019) Accessibility Index of Aquatic Environments as an Indicator of Surface Water Vulnerability in Urban Areas: Case of the Okpara Basin (Benin). Open Journal of Modern Hydrology, 9, 103-112. doi: 10.4236/ojmh.2019.94006.