Hard + Soft Engineering

Question 1

What is meant by the term Soft Engineering?

Answer 1

Involves working with natural river processes to mange the flood risk.

Question 2

What is meant by the term of Hard Engineering?

Answer 2

Involves using man-made structures to prevent or control natural process from taking place.

Question 3

Name 3 schemes of Soft Engineering?

Answer 3

1) River Restoration
2) Wetlands and Flood Storage Areas
3) Floodplain Planning

Question 4

What is meant by Wetlands and Flood Storage Areas?

Answer 4

Wetlands are deliberately allowed to flood to form flood storage areas, used to reduce flooding downstream.

Question 5

What is meant by Floodplain Zoning?

Answer 5

Planning where certain important buildings will be located near to rivers so they don’t get flooded. e.g Hospitals

Question 6

What is meant by River Restoration?

Answer 6

Removing any hard-engineered changes to a river, and returning it back to its original state.

Question 7

Name 3 schemes of Hard Engineering?

Answer 7

1) Dams and Reservoirs
2) Channel Straightening
3) Embankments

Question 8

What is meant by Dams and Rivers?

Answer 8

They are built to regulate the water flow and prevent flooding around urban areas.

Question 9

What is meant by Channel Straightening?

Answer 9

Prevents areas from flooding as the flow in the channel is now speed up due to being straight.

Question 10

What is meant by Embankments?

Answer 10

A raised riverbank is artificially made, usually out of concrete and brick to prevent flooding.