chapter 5: flood management Flashcards
Flood management is important because many people live in flood-prone areas ………………………………………………….. and a lot of investments in towns, plants and infrastructure have been made in such areas
the coast or on floodplains
Flood management can aim at
- a reduced risk of floods;
- a reduced vulnerability to floods;
- improved preparedness;
- streamlined emergency management once a flood damage has occurred; and
- improved knowledge (about cause-effect relationships, driving forces and management options);
The management can comprise activities such as
- forecasting services;
- education and awareness campaigns;
- flood proofing;
- land management (‘keeping people away from floods’);
- water management (storage operation);
- structural protection (dykes) (‘keeping floods away from people’); Need to protect population, agriculture, infrastructure, and environment Growing economic activity in flood-prone areas Flood management Interventions: Land use, infrastructure
- timely and appropriate response to events (such as disasters) and developments;
- studies of cause-effect relationships and of impacts of intervention; etc
It is the poor people and the children who are most vulnerable to
floods
It is the poor people and the children who are most vulnerable to floods. Therefore, a ……………………… must be extended to these parts of the population.
particular attention
Good flood management would take its starting point in a suitable knowledge about
- the flood risk (so that high-risk areas are delineated); and
- the flood vulnerability (so that the most important potential consequences are identified).
Good flood management would take its starting point in a suitable knowledge about
- the flood risk (so that high-risk areas are delineated); and
- the flood vulnerability (so that the most important potential consequences are identified).
If this knowledge is not adequate …………….. should be made
studies
Coastal floods can be caused by
storm surge
Coastal floods can be caused by storm surge, which is generated by
a combination of wind friction and low air pressure
Coastal floods can be caused by storm surge, which is generated by a combination of wind friction and low air pressure. …………………………….. will add to the water level
Local wind waves
Local wind waves will add to the water level, and the storm surge can be ……………………………..
amplified (or reduced)
. Local wind waves will add to the water level, and the storm surge can be amplified (or reduced) by
interference with the strictly regular astronomical tide.
Extreme floods can be related to
extreme storms - like cyclones -
Extreme floods can be related to extreme storms - like cyclones - that attack
attack the open coast
Extreme floods can be related to extreme storms - like cyclones - that attack the open coast. In areas that are otherwise more sheltered (like the…………………… )
Baltic Sea
Extreme floods can be related to extreme storms - like cyclones - that attack the open coast. In areas that are otherwise more sheltered (like the Baltic Sea), extreme floods can be generated by
by unusual sequences of wind set-up and air pressure variations.
Irrespective of the weather, flood waves can be generated by
distant, sub-sea earthquakes (such flood waves are called tsunamis), or, in arctic areas, by breaking glaciers.
Irrespective of the weather, flood waves can be generated by distant, sub-sea earthquakes (such flood waves are called tsunamis), or, in arctic areas, by breaking glaciers.
The effect depends on the
coastal profile
The effect depends on the coastal profile. A gently sloping profile causes
a high amplification of an approaching flood wave (and tidal wave) and a high set-up in response to local wind
A steep profile will tend to
reflect the flood wave (and tidal wave), rather than amplifying it
A steep profile will tend to reflect the flood wave (and tidal wave), rather than amplifying it, and the locally generated set-up will be small if
the water depth is large
Often, a shallow coastal profile occurs in places with
low-lying lands
. Often, a shallow coastal profile occurs in places with low-lying lands. If so, the flood risk will be
high
It is the weakest part of the poor population - rural women, elderly, and children - who are
most at risk


