Factors effecting flood risk

• What are the two categories of factors affecting flood risk?

  Human factors and physical factors
• What are human factors affecting flood risk?

  • Man-made interactions with the environment
  • Building on floodplains
  • Urban land use
  • Deforestation
  • Farming practices
• What are physical factors affecting flood risk?

  • Natural causes of flooding
  • Level of precipitation
  • Frequency of rainfall
  • Rock type (permeable vs impermeable)
  • Steepness of slopes
• What is the primary cause of flooding?

  Rainfall or precipitation
• How does the level of precipitation affect flooding?

  Higher levels lead to increased flood risk
• What does the frequency of precipitation refer to?

  How often rainfall occurs over time
• What is the impact of prolonged rainfall on flooding?

  It saturates the land, increasing flood risk
• What is the term for rocks that allow water to pass through?

  Permeable rocks
• Why do impermeable rocks increase flood risk?

  They do not allow water to soak in
• What type of rock is clay classified as?

  Impermeable rock
• How does slope steepness affect flood risk?

  Steeper slopes increase runoff speed
• What is surface runoff?

  Water running off the surface to rivers
• How does urban land use contribute to flooding?

  It increases impermeable surfaces, reducing absorption
• What happens when gardens are paved over?

  It increases surface runoff and flood risk
• What is deforestation?

  The removal of trees from an area
• How do trees help reduce flood risk?

  They intercept rainfall and absorb water
• What is a consequence of farming on floodplains?

  Increased flood risk due to land use
• How do unused fields affect surface runoff?

  They increase surface runoff during rainfall
• What is the relationship between urbanization and flood risk?

  Urbanization increases impermeable surfaces, raising flood risk