Flooding

3.4 The fluctuating amount of water in a river

undefined Impacts & responses - case study

Flooding

  1. Causes

    1. Physical

      1. Prolonged rain
      2. Heavy rain
      3. Snowmelt
      4. Steep relief
      5. Impermeable soil & rock

    2. Human

      1. Deforestation
      2. Building construction
      3. Tarmac
      4. Damming

  2. Frequency and location

    1. Flooding appears to be an increasingly frequent event
    2. In 1607, a great flood affected Devon, Somerset and South Wales, but otherwise, major floods were rare
    3. In the 1900s, there were three major floods in ‘47, ‘53 and ‘68
    4. Since 1998, major floods have become an almost annual occurrence
    5. Flooding rates in Europe are set to double by 2050