Rivers - Management

Question 1

What is hard engineering?

Answer 1

Using man-made structures to control/prevent natural processes.

Question 2

What is a dam?

Answer 2

A large wall built across a river. Water is held in a reservoir behind the dam.

Question 3

Evaluate dams as a river management strategy.

Answer 3

They have multiple uses e.g. irrigation, hydro-electricity & recreation. They can hold water back. They are very expensive, require land to be flooded and can displace people.

Question 4

What is channel straightening?

Answer 4

Cutting through meanders to create a straight channel, which speeds up the flow of water.

Question 5

Evaluate channel straightening as a river management strategy.

Answer 5

Results in water flowing quickly away from areas that are vulnerable to flooding. May increase flood risk downstream.

Question 6

What is an embankment?

Answer 6

A raised river bank.

Question 7

Evaluate embankments as a river management strategy.

Answer 7

Increase the river’s capacity, reducing flood risk. Effective at protecting high-value land. Can be more sustainable if mud embankments are used. Can be expensive as often made of concrete.

Question 8

What is a flood relief channel?

Answer 8

A man-made river channel, built to carry water away from urban areas. Controlled by gates.

Question 9

Evaluate flood relief channels as a river management strategy.

Answer 9

Can help to protect high value land and people’s lives as gates can be opened to allow excess water to move away. Can be hard to find land to build them on as many towns and cities are already built up. Expensive. May flood in heavy rain.

Question 10

Define ‘irrigation’.

Answer 10

Supplying water to crops to help them grow.

Question 11

What is soft engineering?

Answer 11

Working with natural river processes to manage flood risk.

Question 12

What is floodplain zoning?

Answer 12

Restricting different land uses to certain locations on the floodplain.

Question 13

Evaluate floodplain zoning as a river management strategy.

Answer 13

They reduce potential damage and destruction to high-value land. Can reduce financial losses from a flood event. Difficult to introduce this strategy on floodplains that have already been developed.

Question 14

What is river restoration?

Answer 14

Putting meanders back into a river, after they were previously cut out to straighten the channel.

Question 15

Evaluate river restoration as a river management strategy.

Answer 15

Can slow down the river’s flow, reducing flood risk. Is an expensive strategy.

Question 16

What is afforestation?

Answer 16

Planting trees around a river.

Question 17

Evaluate afforestation as a river management strategy.

Answer 17

Creates wildlife habitats. Increases interception & transpiration. Not always suitable, especially in towns and cities where there might be little space.

Question 18

How can we prepare people for floods?

Answer 18

By using technology to monitor rivers, using measurements to predict when a flood might occur (prediction is not always accurate) and warning people who could be at risk.

Question 19

What is the role of the Environment Agency in preparing people?

Answer 19

Produces flood maps to identify high flood risk areas. Tells people living in high risk areas how to prepare e.g. use sandbags to keep water away from homes.

Question 20

What is the role of the local councils and emergency services in preparing people?

Answer 20

They have plans in place so they know what to do in the event of a flood e.g.: Evacuating people, Closing roads, Putting up temporary flood walls.

Question 21

Where is Banbury?

Answer 21

About 45,000 people live in Banbury which is in the Costwold Hills, about 50km north of Oxford.

Question 22

How has Banbury been affected by flooding?

Answer 22

In 1998, flooding caused £12.5 million of damage. Over 150 homes and businesses were affected. In 2007, floods struck again. Flooded in 2019, leading to school closures, flooded roads and delays to trains.

Question 23

What has been done to reduce flood risk in Banbury?

Answer 23

In 2012, a 2.9km earth embankment was built parallel to the M40 motorway to create a flood storage area. The A361 road has been raised and drainage beneath the road has been improved. New earth embankments and floodwalls built to protect property and businesses. Creation of Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).

Question 24

What are the social benefits of the management scheme?

Answer 24

The raised A361 road will be open during floods, avoiding disruption to people’s lives. Quality of life is improved due to new footpaths and green areas (as part of BAP). Reduced anxiety levels as there is less fear of flooding.

Question 25

What are the economic benefits of the management scheme?

Answer 25

Cost was £18.5 million. The Environment Agency covered part of the cost of the scheme. 441 houses and 73 commercial properties protected, leading to over £100 million in economic gains.

Question 26

What are the environmental benefits of the management scheme?

Answer 26

100,000 tonnes of earth were used to build the embankment; extracted from nearby, creating a small reservoir. Creation of ponds, trees and hedgerows through BAP. Part of floodplain will be allowed to deliberately flood if river levels become high.