Methods of flood control

Causes of flooding

Torrential rain

Urbanisation increases surface run-

off
Causes of flooding
Dam collapse

Tsunami caused by underwater earthquake

Snow melt
 Causes of flooding.

Global warming

Monsoon rain

Deforestation
 To control flooding..
1. Control the water level
dams
pumping stations
2. Build barriers
embankments
flood walls
3. Alter the rivers channel
Straighten it
Widen and deepen it
4. Control land use around the river (land use
zoning)
1. To control the water level
Dam and
pumping
station
2.Build barriers
3. Alter the rivers channel
4. Control land use
Flood plain zoning
Emergency measures.
Mississippi, USA
Levee on the Mississippi
Note the
school bus
for scale
and the
seepage
along the
side of the
levee.
The Mississippi River levee system represents
one of the largest such systems found anywhere
in the world. They comprise over 3,500 miles
(5,600 km) of levees extending some 1,000 miles
(1,600 km) along the Mississippi. They average 24
feet (7 m) in height; some Mississippi levees are
as much as 50 feet (15 m) high.
River Nile, Egypt
The Aswan High Dam
 Aswan dam
Why was it built?
What are the advantages?
What are the disadvantages? What
problems did it cause?
 Look at all the information provided
about each of the rivers in the different
Your task: countries and then write a report
entitled River Management: Choices
and impacts

Your report should include the following sections (although you may want to
add more!):
The causes of flooding
The alternative ways the rivers are managed (e.g. levees, dams, limiting
the use of the flood plain, flood defences etc)
Reasons why river management varies in different places
How managing rivers can affect people
Why different people may have different points of view about river
management (e.g. a local farmer, a politician, a local industry, a householder
and a developer wanting to build new houses).
Your opinions on managing rivers and how this affects people
 Remember! The best reports will be
structured and will have your own
additional research!
Assessment criteria
Level Enquiry and Skills Places, Patterns and Processes Environmental Change

3 Begin to use appropriate vocab- Recognise that places are similar and Recognise how people try to improve
ulary; different. environments;
Respond to questions using Recognise that there are different
structured tasks. approaches to managing environments.

4 Explain your own views and
recognise that other people may
have different views;
Use appropriate vocabulary.
Realise that MEDCs and LEDCs have Understand that people can both
different options available to them; improve and damage the environment;
Begin to understand how people can change
the features of places;
Begin to understand how physical processes
(flooding) affects landscape and lives.

5 Explain your own views and begin
to explain the views of others;
Suggest valid conclusions and use
a range of geographical
vocabulary.
Describe and begin to explain physical
processes (flooding) and human processes
(management);
Describe how river management differs
between LEDCs and MEDCs.
Recognise that people try to manage
environments sustainably;
Give explanations for ways in which
river management changes the
environment;
Describe how river management can
affect the lives of people.

6 Suggest relevant questions for Describe and explain physical processes
the enquiry; (flooding and its causes) and human
use evidence to make valid processes (eg management methods);
conclusions. Describe the links between physical and
human processes.
Recognise that there are conflicting
demands on the river and the
surrounding land;
Compare different approaches to
managing the river and its environment.