Case Studies - Unit 1 - Theme A

Question 1

River Derwent 1999

Give 3 Physical Causes of the flood?

Answer 1

Heavy Rainfall ( 28 Feb - 11 March 250mm) 
Lack of Infiltration ( Ground already saturated from previous rainfall)
Time of Year ( Snow Melt added to discharge from region )

Question 2

River Derwent 1999

Give 2 Human Causes?

Answer 2

• Peat Removal ( Soil storage capacity lowered )

- New Building ( Areas of floodplain urbanised eg. Malton, Reduces Infiltration and increases surface run off

Question 3

River Derwent 1999

Give a generic positive and negative of flooding on people?

Answer 3

Positive: Provides sediment eg. Alluvium naturally fertilises soil
Negative: People and animals can become homeless or drown

Question 4

River Derwent 1999

Give a generic positive and negative of flooding on the environment?

Answer 4

Positive: Flood can bring relief from drought
Negative: Flooding can wash chemicals in to local rivers and pollute them

Question 5

River Mississippi

Give 3 introduction facts?

Answer 5

• 4th longest river in the world
• Provides 18 million Americans with water
• 2001 flood cost $13 million damage; 4400 people displaced

Question 6

River Mississippi

Give 2 hard engineering management strategies?

Answer 6

• Levees raised to 15m high for 3000km

- Over 100 dams built on tributaries

Question 7

River Mississippi

Give 2 evaluative points on Levees?

Answer 7

• Protects area they are built but sends problem downstream

- Some areas like New Orleans lie 4.3m below river level

Question 8

River Mississippi

Give an evaluative point on dams?

Answer 8

Prevents silt from reaching delta, causing it to severely erode away. Herron now endangered in that area

Question 9

River Mississippi

Give 2 soft engineering strategies?

Answer 9

• Afforestation in Tennessee Valley

- Safe flooding zones eg. Rock Island, Illinois

Question 10

River Mississippi

Give 2 evaluative points on afforestation?

Answer 10

• Increased interception reduces surface run off

- Roots of trees reduce soil erosion

Question 11

River Mississippi

Give 2 evaluative points on safe flooding zones?

Answer 11

• Cheaper to buy land off owners than to compensate them for flood damage
• Wetland habitats can be preserved

Question 12

Newcastle

Give 3 introduction facts?

Answer 12

• Rail link from Belfast opened in 1869, made Newcastle very popular
• 8km of beach
• Population rises by 15,000 during Summer

Question 13

Newcastle

Give 2 hard engineering strategies?

Answer 13

• Groynes built in 1980’s

- Sea Wall built in 2002

Question 14

Newcastle

Give 2 impacts of the Groynes and whether they are sustainable or not?

Answer 14

a) - Trapped sand which was moving due to Longshore Drift
- Yes, protected beach for a while
b) - Lasted 20 years before decaying
- No, didn’t last long, needed to be replaced, expensive

Question 15

Newcastle

Give 2 impacts of the Sea wall and whether they were sustainable or not?

Answer 15

a) - Protects buildings for many years
- Yes, original wall allowed development of boarding houses/hotels
b) - New wall is curved so energy directed out to sea
- No, beach erosion increased, less tourists enjoy beach