Paper 2 (UK): Topic 4 EQ5-4.8 – Flood risk and management

Question 1

Why is river flood risk increasing? Include global climate change and human activity in drainage basins

Answer 1

Flood risk is increasing as there is more rain in more countries. Due to more ice melts being melted into water there is more water in the atmosphere and therefore a lot more rain is also in the atmosphere, the increase in human activity within drainage basins is affecting the rain which causes floods and because this rain can not be stored underground the only place it can be stored is above the ground in the flood plains.

Question 2

Compare how soft and hard engineering schemes work

Answer 2

Soft engineering schemes are different to hard engineering schemes to stop these floods and manage them in a suitable way. The issue with hard engineering is that it is often very expensive and though it does actually help these floods it is too expensive for small towns and villages which is why soft engineering is better for these smaller towns and villages. They both however improve the management of floods and prevents the floods from getting any worse.

Question 3

Explain what each hard engineering scheme is, how they work and the pros/cons

Answer 3

The schemes for hard engineering of flood management could be dam constuction, and river engineering. They both help the river and can decrease the flood risk. However are very expensive, for example river engineering can cost an awful lot and is often out of the budget for many small towns and villages, although may be an option for some of the big cities which are prone to floods.

Question 4

Explain what each soft engineering scheme is, how they work and the pros/cons

Answer 4

The schemes for soft engineering would be afforestation, managed flooding, and planning. These can all be used to reduce the risk of flooding within towns, villages and cities as these are all budgeted and could even be used by the smaller villages lying next to rivers and ones which are prone to river flooding, the use of soft engineering techniques could be of great advantage to the villages that are affected by floods and could be a good option for them.