Azmeri et al. (2026) Nature-based flood mitigation using oxbow lakes as retention systems: hydrological routing and resilience assessment in a tropical watershed

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Water Practice & Technology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-12
• Authors: Azmeri Azmeri, Ahmad Reza Kasury, Muhammad Rizqullah Akram Harahap, Miftahul Chosyi
• DOI: 10.2166/wpt.2026.450

Research Groups

• Department of Environmental Science, Universitas Syiah Kuala (UNSYIAH)
• Institute for Water Resources Management, Aceh Province Government

Short Summary

This study evaluates the effectiveness of an oxbow lake as a Nature-based flood-retention system in a tropical watershed, demonstrating its potential to reduce peak discharge by 11% while maintaining hydrological resilience.

Objective

• Investigate the hydrological and hydraulic performance of an oxbow lake as a Nature-based retention system under variable tropical hydrological conditions.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Watershed scale (931.11 km2)
• Temporal Scale: Event-based analysis during the December 2023 flood event

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Integrated hydrological-routing framework for simulating flood attenuation performance and storage effectiveness
• Data sources: Observed water levels, flood characteristics, and hydraulic responses during the December 2023 event; satellite imagery and topographic data for watershed characterization

Main Results

• The oxbow lake reduced peak flood discharge by 64.43 m3/s (approximately 11%) under the 2-year return-period flood scenario.
• Temporary floodplain storage and controlled spillway release were primary mechanisms influencing flood attenuation.

Contributions

• This study provides original insights into the potential of oxbow lakes as Nature-based retention systems in tropical river basins, enhancing hydrological resilience and supporting sustainable watershed management.

Funding

• This research was funded by the Aceh Province Government's Institute for Water Resources Management (Grant No. 2022-001) and supported by the Universitas Syiah Kuala Research Grant (Grant No. UNSYIAH-RG-2023).

Citation

@article{Azmeri2026Naturebased,
  author = {Azmeri, Azmeri and Kasury, Ahmad Reza and Harahap, Muhammad Rizqullah Akram and Chosyi, Miftahul},
  title = {Nature-based flood mitigation using oxbow lakes as retention systems: hydrological routing and resilience assessment in a tropical watershed},
  journal = {Water Practice & Technology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.2166/wpt.2026.450},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.2166/wpt.2026.450}
}