Hi, welcome to this blog on Flooding, Effects Of Flooding and Control.
Table Of Contents
- Definition of Flooding.
- Causes of flooding.
- Effects of flooding.
- Control of flooding.
- Revision Questions.
Definition Of Flooding
Definition: Flooding is defined as the occurrence of excessive volume of water in areas not usually waterlogged. Flooding is also defined as the accumulation of an abnormal large volume of water in an area which has refused to percolate or flow away.
It usually occurs mostly when there is heavy rainfall in an area and all the water refuses to sink into the soil but flows on the Earth’s surface as floods. When such flood occurs in the cities, its refers Urban flooding.
Causes Of Flooding
- Excessive rainfall in an area is a main reason or cause of flooding of river channels.
- Refuse dumping on drainages block culverts or river channels.
- Poor drainages system or lack of culverts.
- Establishment of settlement along river channels.
- Erection of buildings on water sheds, roads, culverts sites.
- Presence of steep slope in the area.
- Breakdown of dams and embarkments.
- Inadequate urban planning.
- Strong tidal waves can also cause flooding.
Effects Of Flooding
- Flooding Causes loss of lives and properties.
- It leads to the interruption of social economic activities.
- It create the health hazards by way of pollution.
- It makes human and vehicular movement difficult.
- It causes pollution of the environment due to deposition of debris.
- It washes away roads and railways.
- It leads to diversion of public funds.
- It can create the need for emergency relief supply.
- Some houses may be abandoned or rendered uninhabited because of flood.
- It can lead to deposition of silts and garbage.
- It can spread water-borne diseases.
- It leads to destruction of farmlands.
Control Of Flooding
- Construction of wider gutters or culverts.
- Avoid refuse dumping in water channels.
- Proper channelization of floods from city centres.
- Forest reserves on strategic water sheds.
- Public enlightenment on effects of flooding.
- Legislation against indiscriminate dumping of waste/refuse and erection of buildings in swamp areas.
- Construction of dams to act as flood reservoirs.
- Proper urban planning to avoid urban flooding.
- Environmental sanitation to drain culverts, etc.
- Regular clearance of drainage channels.
Revision Questions
- (a) Describe five causes of flooding. (b) in what four ways can flooding be controlled? (c) outline six effects of flooding.