1.4 The human impact

Question 1

Abstraction

Answer 1

Amount taking out

Question 2

Bankfull stage

Answer 2

Condition in which a river’s channel fills completely that any increase in discharge will cause water to overflow the bank

Question 3

Channel

Answer 3

Passageway in which a river flows

Question 4

Channelisation

Answer 4

Modifications to the river channels. (straightening, deepening, widening, clearing or lining.

Question 5

Discharge

Answer 5

Quantity of water that passes a given point on the bank of a river.

Question 6

Drainage basin

Answer 6

Total area that contributes water to a river.

Question 7

Flash flood

Answer 7

Flood where lag time is quite short

Question 8

Flood

Answer 8

Discharge great enough to cause a body of water to overflow its channel.

Question 9

Flood-Frequency curve

Answer 9

How often and how large floods are in an specific area

Question 10

Floodplain

Answer 10

Part of any stream valley that is inundated during floods

Question 11

Hazard assessment

Answer 11

Process of determining when and where hazards have occurred in the past. The frequency as well as events that could happen now.

Question 12

Natural hazards

Answer 12

Range of natural circumstances, materials and processes that are hazardous to humans.

Question 13

Risk assesment

Answer 13

Establishing the probability that a hazardous event of a particular magnitude will occur within a given period.

Question 14

Flood abatement

Answer 14

Decreasing the amount of runoff