EQ2: Flooding/drought

Question 1

What is syrface water flooding

Answer 1

Flooding that occurs when intense rainfall has insufficient time to infiltrate the soil, so flows overland

Question 2

What is groundwater flooding

Answer 2

Flooding that occurs after the ground has become saturated from Prolonged heavy rainfall

Question 3

What is a flash flood

Answer 3

A flood with an exceptionally short lag time - often minutes or hours

Question 4

What is the main theory for the 2015 Cumbrian flood

Answer 4

• jet streams are bands of fast moving air bringing depression from west to east
• this jet stream in 2015 remained over the Northwest longer than usual bringing in rain laden depressions from across the Atlantic

Question 5

What was storm Desmond

Answer 5

• hit in December 2015 causing the third major flooding in a 15 year period
• it was caused by the deep Atlantic low-pressure systems (depressions)
• the warm conveyor belt transported warm moist air northwards until the less dense air reached the cold front in the north rising over it resulting in frontal rainfall

Question 6

What are the four types of drought

Answer 6

• meteorological
• hydrological
• agricultural
• famine

Question 7

Define meteorological drought

Answer 7

• defined as short falls of precipitation which increases the duration of the dry period

Question 8

Define agricultural drought

Answer 8

Simply soil water deficit

Question 9

Define hydrological drought

Answer 9

Associated with reduced stream flow and ground water levels, which decrease because of reduced inputs of precipitation and continued high rates of precipitation

Question 10

Define famine drought

Answer 10

Agricultural drought caused soil water deficit eliminating crop production, this results in food shortages

Question 11

What is a positive feedback loop

Answer 11

A cyclical sequence of events that amplified change

Question 12

What is a negative feedback

Answer 12

A cyclical sequence of events that neutralise the effects of a system