Water On The Land Flashcards
Summer floods of 2007.
CAUSES:
1.July was the wettest month in Britain after a dry April, with 400mm of rain.
2. The ground was too saturated and it could not hold the any more water so it ran off into nearest rivers.
ECONOMIC IMPACTS:
1. 5600 homes flooded.
2. 7000 businesses flooded.
3. Crops and fields were destroyed.
4. Insurance companies increased their premiums because of the amounts of claims.
5. About £1 billion spent on new flood defences.
SOCIAL IMPACTS:
1. Only 13 dead.
2. 5500 families left homeless.
3. People were suffering illnesses due to dirty water.
4. Some suffered mental illnesses such as depression.
The 4 main case studies.
Flood management along the river Rhine in holland.
Summer floods of 2007.
2004 Bangladesh floods.
Kielder reservoir, Northumberland.
Flood management along the River Rhine in Holland
Strategies used:
HARD ENGINEERING-
1. Dams- only during periods of heavy rain, the water that is held back behind the dam is released as it has built up.
2. Artificial levees- they are placed some distance away from the river leaving farmland in between, which is very fertile, this gives it space to flood.
SOFT ENGINEERING-
1. Deliberate flooding- water is directed into poor quality land, where it is used for nothing else. It is temporarily held, then directed back.
2. Land use zoning- the land between the river and the levees that is being constantly flooded, it is not to be used for anything else, but makes the land very fertile and good for agriculture.
2004 Bangladesh floods.
CAUSES:
Physical factors:
1. Most of the land in Bangladesh is in floodplains.
2. Low lying land.
3. High rainfall every year.
4. Discharge from other major rivers and tributaries contribute to the flooding.
Human factors:
1. Deforestation in India and Nepal.
2. Less interception.
3. Increased soil erosion which causes the riverbed to rise and less discharge can be held in the river.
IMMEDIATE IMPACTS:
1. Floods were so extensive that half of Bangladesh was covered in water.
2. 760 people died.
3. 8.5 million people were left homeless.
4. Roads and bridges were damaged or destroyed.
LATER IMPACTS:
1. 1 million children suffered from diseases or malnutrition.
2. Government paid 2-3 billion US$ to rebuild roads, bridges and the industry.
HARD ENGINEERING STRATEGIES:
1. Artificial levees.
2. Dames.
SOFT ENGINEERING STRATEGIES:
1. Retention basins- where the water is held then returned when the discharge decreases.
2. Flood relief channels.
3. Early warning systems.
4. Emergency aid, lifeboats and temporary accommodations in preparation.
Kielder reservoir, Northumberland.
The reservoir was created by damming a section of the River North Tyne.
It supplies water to Newcastle, Sunderland, and Middlesbrough.
There is high demand for water, as there is a high population, and large scale industries.
The tunnels and pipelines from the reservoir go through rivers that go to these cities.
COSTS:
1. Costs over £ 167 million.
2. 7 years of construction.
3. The reservoir is not needed yet.
4. Destroyed areas of natural beauty.
5. Many trees cut down.
BENEFITS:
1. Attracted tourism.
2. Stopped water shortage in Keilder.
3. Businesses benefited from the tourism.
4. It is paying for itself because of the hydro- electric power stations.
Boscastle floods, Cornwell, 2004.
CAUSES:
Physical causes:
1. Previous heavy rain saturated the drainage basin.
2. Intense rainfall over the river in a short period of time.
3. Tributaries caused the river’s discharge to increase.
Human:
1. Few trees in the drainage basin.
2. Many building near the river.
3. The bridge collapsed as it was not wide enough.
SOCIAL IMPACTS:
1. No loss of life or major injuries.
2. Businesses were lost.
3. People suffered from diseases and infections from dirty river water.
4. People suffered mental illnesses such as depression from loss of homes, jobs and property.
ECONOMICAL IMPACTS:
1. £800,000 on new flood defence strategies.
2. Loss of businesses and property.
3. Insurance companies increased their premiums.
4. Less tourism- People would not want to come because of the damage and the risk of another flood.
