Human Causes Of Flooding Flashcards
1
Q
What are the 6 human causes of flooding?
A
- New Infrastructure (urbanisation)
- New Houses
- Disappearing Gardens
- Forestry
- Farming
- Disappearing Fields
2
Q
How does urbanisation increase flood risk?
A
More impermeable surfaces.
3
Q
How do new houses increase flood risk?
A
- Built on greenfield sites
- More impermeable surfaces
- Gutters, drains and culverts
- Few natural areas in which to store excess water.
4
Q
How does Forestry increase flood risk?
A
- Reduces interception
* Soil washes into rivers reducing their capacity
5
Q
How does farming increase flood risk?
A
- less interception as hedges ripped out for more space
- more arable farming means that soil is left bare in winter so interception is reduced
- furrows created during ploughing so water can flow down easily
6
Q
How do disappearing fields increase flood risk?
A
- Less interception
- Pastures over grazed. This has compacted soil and degraded pastures, resulting in muddy run off into rivers and an increased rick of flooding.
