Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Causes of River Floods
- Physical Factors
- Rock Type
- Impermeable rock encourages rapid overland flow
- Steep Slopes
- Mountain Environments encourage rapid transfer of water
- Long Profile
- Steep upper course and flat lower course means a build up of water in lowland areas
- Drainage Density
- High drainage density means water reaches the river quickly
- Snowmelt
- When snow/ice melts it means lots of water running over ice
- Intense and Prolonged Rainfall
- Summer/tropical storms and monsoons means flooding
- Human Factors
- Building Construction
- Building on floodplains creates impermeable surfaces and drains filling river channel rapidly
- Deforestation
- Little evapotranspiration happening
- Agriculture
- Arable farming means soil is left bare to the weather, so ploughing creates grooves meaning flooding
- Ineffective Flood Management and Warning Systems
- Lack of flood defence/badly maintained culverts/bridges means flooding