Floods

BR: Only if you missed yesterday’s class How much time did you spend studying for today’s quiz? What material did you study? BR: If you were here yesterday Predict the score of the Jets-Patriots game tonight.

Objectives Take Lightning Quiz Start flood video

NOVA Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvJlENenpJA How are floods different than other types of natural disasters? How did the flood begin? Be detailed. Why does a river need to periodically occupy its floodplain? What is the best way to prevent a city from flooding?

23 min Why is it sometimes a good idea to break open a levy? How long did Valmeyer stay underwater? Where did Valmeyer move to? Why? How can you flood proof your house? What are humans doing that make floods worse? Why is the government buying back flood plains?

Bellringer What causes lightning?

Objectives Complete lightning quiz Finish answering all the questions about the flood video

Bellringer What do you think is the most dangerous part of a flood?

Objectives Review lightning quiz Understand how floods form in different areas, and how people have changed flood rates. Differentiate between flash floods and general floods

Flood Video Quiz Why is it sometimes a good idea to break open a levy? How long did Valmeyer stay underwater? Where did Valmeyer move to? Why? How can you flood proof your house? What are humans doing that make floods worse? Why is the government buying back flood plains?

Lightning Quiz Class average was a ...

Bellringer What is a watershed?

Objectives Know what creates the intensity of a flood, and what determines the length of a flood. Complete the computer flood activity with a partner.

Floods Where does all the water come from? Watershed: An area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point at a lower elevation.

Flooding What factors do you think effect the intensity of a flood? What factors do you think effect the duration of a flood?

Flood Intensity The intensity of a flood is determined by the amount of rainfall and the amount of time that it rains. The worst floods happen when there is heavy rainfall over a long period of time. Flash flooding happens when there is very heavy rainfall for a short period of time.

Duration of a Flood The duration of a flood is determined by the amount of rainfall, the amount of time it rains, and the areas ability to get rid of the water. Flashfloods show up quickly, but also move on quickly. Heavy rainfall for weeks, or months produce the worst duration of flooding.

Duration of a Flood If the ground soil can absorb the water from the flood quickly, it will decrease the time the area is flooded. Some areas have rivers or lower level land which can help divert or move out the excess flood water.

Checkpoint What is a watershed? What determines the intensity of a flood? If ground soil can absorb water very quickly, it will _____________ the time an area is flooded?

Bellringer What determines a flood’s intensity?

Objective Complete computer activity

Computer Activity Working in pairs, go to my page on the Windsor school website Windsor-csd.org Go to my page, and click the Forces of Nature link Download the PowerPoint called “Flooding Computer Activity” Open and follow the directions in the PowerPoint. Record your answers on a separate sheet of paper. Hand in one copy for your group when you’re done.

Engineering Around a Flood http://ees.as.uky.edu/sites/default/files/elearning/module12swf.swf Test out how a flood will effect the three different types of regions. Then change the type of flood control to use in the area. You will record your results.

Flood Data None Dam Levees Floodways Forest Agriculture Urban

Flood Questions What do you think is the best way to prepare a city for a flood? Why? What do you think is the best way to prepare a farm for a flood? Why? What effect will construction cost have on which design you would pick?

Bellringer: Changing the Landscape How do you think deforestation (cutting down natural landscapes), and urbanization (building cities) has impacted flooding?

Objectives Know the effects deforestation and urbanization have had on flooding. Know the difference between flash floods and general floods.

Deforestation Deforestation causes faster runoff of water from the watershed and into the river. Leaves on the ground allow water on them to evaporate instead of flowing away. Leaves reduce raindrop impact, and gentler rain causes less erosion. Tree roots absorb water from the soil. Tree roots hold soil in place, and reduce erosion.

Urbanization Pavement is even less absorbent than naked soil, so it causes even quicker runoff. Sewer systems also help expedite the water from a city. These variables also cause flash floods in rivers and towns downstream from the city to become more frequent, and more severe.

Flash Flood vs. General Flood Both flash floods and floods can be extremely dangerous. Flash floods generally happen quickly after very heavy rainfall, and they can be hard to forecast and predict. Flash flood waters move at very fast speeds, and can roll boulders, tear out trees, destroy buildings, and obliterate bridges.

Flash Floods Flash flood water walls can reach 10 to 20 feet. Results in localized flooding typically occurs in hilly or mountainous terrain, but also occurs in urban areas. Fatalities are more common than with general floods. The best response to a flash flood is to move immediately and quickly to higher ground. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5hvZRM58ps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3akkSEGFhI

General Floods General floods involve the whole watershed, and take at least several days to build up. General floods can even build over months. Water level rises slowly, but consistently. The best response is to seek higher ground, but usually these floods won’t sneak up on you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJx6F_fLius

General Floods Stream gauges monitor water levels so they are fairly predictable

General Floods Can result in wide-spread flooding. Flood-plain areas are prone to flooding. A flood is said to be occurring when a stream or river rises above its channel. The level of flooding is reported as “feet above flood stage”. Fatalities are few in the US from general flooding; however, the economic cost is high

The 2011 Flood http://www.erh.noaa.gov/bgm/WeatherEvents/Flood/september072011/ Was this a flash flood or a general river flood? How did it compare to the 1993 Mississippi River flood? Photo album

Checkpoint How have deforestation and urbanization increased the rates, and dangers of floods? What are three differences between flash floods and general floods? Which is worse 12 hours of extremely heavy rain, 3 months of consistent rain storms, or a dam failure? Why?

Bellringer What is the best way to avoid dying during a flash flood?

Objectives Learn the dangers of floods. Begin working on your flood project.

Dangers of Floods The force of six inches of swiftly moving water can knock people off their feet. The best protection during a flood is to leave the area and go to shelter on higher ground. Cars can easily be swept away in just 2 ft of moving water. If flood waters rise around a car, it should be abandoned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXPNWFBd3h8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn_JdVpXrNA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO_q-Ip7BTE

Dangers of Floods Floods are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters – except fire. Most communities in the US can experience some kind of flooding. Like many other natural disasters people are often injured because of their neglect for the severity of the event.

Checkpoint What should you do if you are driving and you need to cross a flooded road to get home? Why are most people injured during floods?

Dam Failures Dam failures are potentially the worst flood events. A dam failure is usually the result of neglect, poor design, or structural damage cause by a major event such as an earthquake. When a dam fails, a gigantic quantity of water is suddenly let loose downstream, destroying anything in its path. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWEWVw7TGk4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfW5MqT7CSA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0udToKp6COY

Levees https://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/flooding_flood_risks/levee_simulator.jsp Which type of levee failure is the worst? Overtopping Breaching Seepage

Killed by Floods The count of flood deaths is highest in South America, Southern Asia and Eastern Asia. Central Africa, Japan and Western Europe each account for less than 0.6% of flood deaths. Approximately 10,000 people in the US have died from flooding since 1900.

Killed by Floods

Checkpoint What is the main cause of dam failures? What are the three ways a levee could fail? In which areas of the world are floods the most deadly?

Worst Flood Ever An estimated 3.7 million people died in central China in 1931 from one ongoing flood. Heavy snowfall in the winter started to thaw in the spring. The spring had very heavy continual rain that only grew heavier as spring became summer (more than 2ft of rain per month). The flood was at its peak from July to late August.

Worst US Flood Ever 51st worst flood in the world. 2,209 people died. Occurred in Johnstown Pennsylvania in 1889. It was triggered by a failing dam, not months of continual heavy rainfall. First major disaster relief effort handled by the American Red Cross.

Water Level Are you safe? (277m) http://www.floodmap.net/

Bellringer What is the main cause of dam failures?

Objective Pick partner and location to analyze Complete at least one full slide of your PowerPoint, start working on at least one other.

Flood Project Work in pairs Each pair researches a different house/property The word file is found on my website http://www.windsor-csd.org/forcesofnature.aspx

http://www. discoveryeducation. com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/flood http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/flood.cfm

Bellringer How many slides have you completed for your flood project?

Objective Complete your PowerPoint presentation (minimum of 5 slides)

Flood Project Today will be the last day to work on it. Must e-mail me your PowerPoint presentation before 10:10am tomorrow (10/29)