Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Examples for human changes are land use changes such as deforestation and removal of wetlands, changes in waterway course or flood controls such as with levees. Global environmental issues also influence causes of floods, namely climate change which causes an intensification of the water cycle and sea level rise .
From the ecological perspective, the most distinctive aspect of floodplains is the flood pulse associated with annual floods, and so the floodplain ecosystem is defined as the part of the river valley that is regularly flooded and dried. [19] Floods bring in detrital material rich in nutrients and release nutrients from dry soil as it is flooded.
It is triggered for example by an overflow of rivers and lakes, flash flooding or snowmelt. During the flood, stormwater or water released from damaged water mains may accumulate on property and in public rights-of-way. It can seep through building walls and floors, or backup into buildings through sewer pipes, cellars, toilets and sinks.
Non-structural flood management includes land-use planning, advanced warning systems and flood insurance. Further examples are: "zoning ordinances and codes, flood forecasting, flood proofing, evacuation and channel clearing, flood fight activities, and upstream land treatment or management to control flood damages without physically ...
Surface runoff (also known as overland flow or terrestrial runoff) is the unconfined flow of water over the ground surface, in contrast to channel runoff (or stream flow).It occurs when excess rainwater, stormwater, meltwater, or other sources, can no longer sufficiently rapidly infiltrate in the soil.
Plants also reduce stormwater by improving infiltration, intercepting precipitation as it falls, and by taking up water through their roots. In developed environments, such as cities , unmanaged stormwater can create two major issues: one related to the volume and timing of runoff ( flooding ) and the other related to potential contaminants the ...
These floods strike like lightning-swift and merciless, claiming lives silently. Low-lying areas with streams, rivers and storm drains are most at risk of flash flooding, according to the NWS .
Example graph of stream stages showing Action Stage, Flood Stage, Moderate Stage, Major Stage, and Record Stage on a river.. Flood stage is the water level, as read by a stream gauge or tide gauge, for a body of water at a particular location, measured from the level at which a body of water threatens lives, property, commerce, or travel. [1]