A participatory GIS approach to flood risk assessment of informal settlements the case of Cape Town

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.Rural-urban migrations have contributed to the steady increase in the population of Cape Town. Many of the migrants have settled in informal settlements because they cannot afford to rent or buy decent housing. Many of these settlements are however located on marginal and often poorly drained land. Consequently, most of these settlements are prone to flooding after prolonged rainfall. Current flood risk management techniques implemented by the authorities of the Cape Town City Council (CTCC) are ideal for formally planned settlements but are not designed to support informal settlements...This study sought to investigate a methodology that the CTCC could use to improve flood risk assessment

Using Multi-criteria Evaluation and GIS for Flood Risk Analysis in Informal Settlements of Cape Town: The Case of Graveyard Pond

Rural-urban migrations have contributed to the steady increase in the population of Cape Town. Many of the migrants have settled in informal settlements because they cannot afford to rent or buy decent housing. Many of these settlements are however located on marginal and often poorly drained land. Consequently, most of these settelements are prone to flooding after prolonged rainfall. Current flood risk management techniques implemented by the authorities of the Cape Town City Council (CTCC) are not designed to support informal settlements. In fact, owing to a lack of information about the levels of flood risk within the individual settlements, either the CTCC has often been uninvolved or has implemented inappropriate remedies within such settlements. This study sought to investigate a methodology that the CTCC could use to improve flood risk assessment. Using a case study of an informal settlement in Cape Town, this study proposed a methodology of integration of community-based information into a Geographic Information System that can be used by the CTCC for risk assessment. In addition, this research demonstrated the use of a participatory multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) for risk assessment. A questionnaire was used to collect community-based information. The shack outlines of the informal settlement were digitised using CTCC aerial imagery. The questionnaires were captured using spreadsheets and linked to the corresponding shacks in the GIS. Risk weights were subsequently calculated using pairwise comparisons for each household, based on their responses to the questionnaires. The risk weights were then mapped in the GIS to show the spatial disparities in risk

Participatory approach to data collection for GIS for flood risk management in informal settlements of Cape Town

Also published in PositionIT, April/May 2012 under the title "GIS data collection for flood risk management"Inadequate flow of information between stakeholders can hamper development of sustainable flood risk management strategies. Using the case study of a flood prone informal settlement in Cape Town, this paper demonstrates a methodology for the collection and integration of community-based information into a Geographic Information System (GIS) that is useable by the Cape Town City Council (CTCC) for risk assessment. The study contributes to the body of Participatory GIS (PGIS) research. It demonstrates a practical approach to data collection towards development of sustainable flood risk management strategies in informal settlements

Feet on the ground : using participatory GIS as a tool for marketing the geomatics profession

The paper demonstrates a practical sustainable approach to marketing the Geomatics industry, where more students are needed in this field of expertise. Using a case study of participatory Geographic Information Systems (GIS) research in a flood prone informal settlement in Cape Town, this paper demonstrates how participatory research can be used as a marketing tool towards furthering interest in the Geomatics industry. Land surveying is arguably one of the oldest professions in the world. Yet various academic institutions offering land surveying and more recently, Geomatics qualifications in South Africa, have found it increasingly difficult to attract the necessary number of students