flood management Flashcards
what is hard engineering
Generally defined as a controlled disruption of a river using man made structures and materials.
what is soft engineering
Use of environmental practices to reduce flooding and it’s impacts, while protecting habitats the environment and saving money.
what is a dam and a reservoir
A dam is a large concrete barrier built across a river to impede it’s flow.
This causes the valley behind the dam to flood, forming a reservoir
what is dredging
Dredging makes the river deeper so it can hold more water. It does this by scraping and removing sediment which is on the bottom of the river channel
what is an embankment
An embankment is an artificially raised bank, this is done so that the river can contain more water.
what are flood relief channels
An artificially made channel that is designed as a backup channel for a river that frequently floods. It works like a by pass and runs parallel to the main river. In times of high discharge, the relief channel takes the excess water thus preventing the main river from flooding
what is flood plain zoning
Land use zoning means that land next to the river may be used as farmland or recreational use, but buildings are not allowed.
what is afforestation
Trees are planted near to the river. This means greater interception of rainwater and prevents the ground from becoming saturated with water as the tree roots can take up water.
