Water cycle: Eden Basin Flashcards
How does farming affect the risk of flooding?
-Intense farming (e.g. heavy machinery + livestock)
= compacted soil.
-Compacted soil= reduced infiltration= higher runoff
= increased risk of flooding.
-Grazing in upland areas (e.g. hill farming of sheep) reduces vegetation= reduced interception= flooding risk
How does construction affect the risk of flooding?
- Surfaces in built-up areas tend to be impermeable = increased surface runoff speed and size.
- In Carlisle, new developments have been built on floodplains= great flood risk
- Flood defences= flooding downstream instead.
How does deforestation affect the risk of flooding?
-Deforestation= more runoff + greater risk of flooding
Where do igneous rocks reside in the Eden Basin?
The highest ground.
Why is infiltration slow and why is surface runoff high in the Eden Basin where igneous rock is?
Igneous rock is impermeable.
What are the main rocks (other than igneous rock) in the Eden Basin?
Limestone and sandstone.
What are the characteristics of limestone and sandstone?
Permeable= fast infiltration + little surface runoff= increased lag time= high ground water stores
What causes the rainfall to be higher than the national (UK) average in the Eden Basin?
The mountainous terrain= orographic rainfall
=rainfall enters river channels.
The Eden Basin’s long, narrow shape, increases or decreases lag time?
Increases lag time.
The Eden Basin’s steep slope increases peak discharge and decreases what?
Lag time decreases.
