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The Water Cycle and Water Insecurity

The physical causes of flooding

  • 3 things to know
  • Papers 1 and 3

Overview

Recall questions on rainfall intensity and duration, monsoon, snowmelt and saturated ground.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started
Key term

Why does overland flow increase after prolonged heavy rainfall?

Key term

What characteristic of rainfall intensity contributes to flash flooding?

Key term

Why does the short duration of intense storms still cause flash flooding?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What characteristic of rainfall intensity contributes to flash flooding?

    Model answer

    High rainfall intensity delivers water faster than the soil can absorb it, exceeding infiltration capacity and generating rapid surface runoff.

  2. 2

    Why does the short duration of intense storms still cause flash flooding?

    Model answer

    Even brief storms can deliver large volumes of water very quickly, overwhelming drainage systems before water can disperse.

  3. 3

    Explain how rapid surface runoff develops during an intense storm.

    Model answer

    When rainfall intensity exceeds infiltration capacity, water cannot soak into the ground and instead flows quickly over the surface towards channels.

  4. 4

    What happens to drainage systems during flash flood events?

    Model answer

    Drainage systems become overwhelmed because the volume and speed of runoff exceeds their designed capacity.

  5. 5

    How does prolonged rainfall lead to soil saturation?

    Model answer

    Continuous rainfall fills soil pore spaces with water until the soil can hold no more, reaching saturation.

  6. 6

    What happens to infiltration capacity when soils become saturated?

    Model answer

    Infiltration capacity is greatly reduced because water-filled pore spaces cannot accept additional water.

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