1. Lesson 8: September 17, 1999 Readings
Main reading is Ch. 6, ‘Rivers and Flooding’
For this section of the course, also be familiar with “Measurements and Data Analysis” and “Rivers and Flooding” in the lab
Also read, although we will not focus on it, Ch. 13, ‘Global Climate Change’, Sections 8.1, 8.2 on Cyclones

2. Hurricane Floyd http://www.intellicast.com http://www.noaa.gov
Atlantic IR, Carib IR HiRes, ITCZ
Probabilities
Storm Center for VRML

3. Exercise 5
Exponential function
On back, locations

4. Let’s locate Ourselves
Latitude and longitude of Africa
Position of the Nile in Africa
Rainfall
Highlands: Mt. Elgon, Ruwenzori, Ethiopian
Three main tributaries: Blue, White, Atbara
Lakes: Victoria, Albert, Tana, Nasser, (Sudd)
Gauging stations: Sennar, Malakal, Atbara, Aswan
Major cities: Cairo, Khartoum, Kampala

5. The Nile Basin
The Nile flows 2700 km without being joined by a major tributary
Rainfall
Totals, N and S of Khartoum, 300 mm
Variability
Evapotranspiration
An exercise later
Discharge, the resultant effect

6. From Mt. Elgon to the Delta
The Highlands
Ruwenzori, Elgon
The Sudd
Cataract region
Khartoum to Aswan
Not navigable
Floodplain section
Aswan to Cairo
Cross sections
Delta
Distributaries

7. What is Flooding?
Flooding is the rise of a body of water, usually a stream (incl. river), above its confines to submerge surrounding areas
Flooding may affect more people and cause greater loss of life than any other natural hazard
Mortality through drowning but also famine, which commonly follows
Main problems are in lowland areas, such as Bangladesh and Mississippi floodplain (e.g., 1993)