Flood Management Strategies Flashcards
List the five soft engineering strategies for flood management.
Afforestation Land Use Zoning Warning Systems Building Levees Wash Lands
Give a brief description of what a hard engineering strategy is for river flood management.
Hard engineering defences are man made structures that tend to work against the natural processes of the river.
Give a brief description of what soft engineering strategies for river flood management is.
They’re generally more sustainable than hard engineering not and work with the natural processes of the river. They balance the needs of flood protection and environmental sensitivity.
Give a brief description of what a dam is and how one works (hard).
They’re huge walls built across rivers and a reservoir is formed behind the wall prevent flooding downstream. The water is released steadily throughout the year.
List four advantages that come from the hard engineering strategy of dams.
> Can produce HEP.
Reservoir can be used for recreation- eg sailing.
Can be quite cost effective over time.
Steady water release allies land irrigation below the dam through the year.
List four disadvantages of dams (hard).
> can change ecosystems.
V.expensive- 3 gorges dam (China) cost £25bn.
Traps sediment- farmers rely on silt for soil fertilisation after flooding.
Land often flooded when reservoir created- destroys farmland+ people may be forced out of area.
Describe the hard flood management strategy ‘channel straightening’ and how it works.
Where meanders are removed by building artificial cut throughs, which makes the water flow faster, reducing flooding as the water doesn’t build up in one place as much.
List three advantages of channel straightening (hard).
> It increases river flow and channel flow so there’s left chance of flooding.
Can be used to make high levels of electricity.
Very long lasting
List five advantages of the hard engineering strategy, flood walls.
> can easily+quickly be erected.
Low amount of space.
used in places with a lot of people living.
Built around settlements and important roads and factories.
Very effective at flood prevention.
List three disadvantages of flood walls (hard).
> Quite Expensive.
Do not look natural.
Have to be built very well so the water doesn’t get through joints.
List four advantages of embankments.
- Can be used as riverside footpath.
- Habitat for plants and animals provided.
- Allows rivers to flood without causing much damage.
- Can be made with wash lands between to avoid flooding.
List four disadvantages of embankments- the hard river management strategy.
> Very Expensive.
Generally don’t last long- are unsustainable.
Thought of as ugly and view spoiling.
Banks can be built not high enough.
What are two advantages of the hard engineering strategy; diversion spillways.
+Water is directed away from housing and settlements.
+Have floodgates on them to allow control.
List four disadvantages of the hard river management strategy; diversion spillways.
+Often not possible to create in urban areas.
+Can still cause widespread damage if fail.
+Compensation has to be paid to people who’s land the spillways intercept.
+High risk of flooding at the confluence of river and spillway.
Describe what the hard engineering strategy; diversion spillways is and how they work.
Artificial channels that a river can flow through when the river would potentially flood to avoid flooding.
