Author(s)

Mukesh Raj Kafle^*, Narendra Man Shakya

Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Lalitpur, Nepal.

This paper presents the results of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach for flood risk and sediment management in dynamic alluvial fan. The study is based on real problems of Koshi River, Nepal. Criteria weighting for each measure were estimated using Entropy, AHP and AHP-Entropy techniques. Preference ranking of alternatives was prioritized using MCDM methods—ELECTRE, TOPSIS and SAW. Five alternate measures for flood risk management and eight alternate measures for sediment control with seven evaluation criteria comprising economic, social, environmental and political aspects were taken into account. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient between the criteria weighting techniques AHP and AHP-Entropy, Entropy and AHP-Entropy and AHP with Entropy were 0.964, 0.429 and 0.321 respectively. Preference ranks were determined using nine combinations of criteria weighting techniques and preference ranking methods. In the case of flood risk management, using of old Koshi channel was recommended as the highest prioritized solution. Similarly, for sediment control, reduction of upstream sediment supply was recommended as the top prioritized measures. The Euclidean distance test for each pairs of criteria weighting and prioritization methods showed all three MCDM methods of preference ranking were sensitive to weighting. On implementation of the recommended measures, local people of Sunsari, Saptari and Morang districts of Nepal will be highly benefited.

Flood, Sediment, Prioritization, MCDM, Entropy, AHP, ELECTRE, TOPSIS, SAW

Kafle, M. and Shakya, N. (2018) Multi-Criteria Decision Making Approach for Flood Risk and Sediment Management in Koshi Alluvial Fan, Nepal. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 10, 596-619. doi: 10.4236/jwarp.2018.106034.