1. PAPER 3: Geographical Applications
SECTION B: Fieldwork 1

2. Suitable Questions for Geographical Enquiry
Enquiry 2: What is our hypothesis?
Project title: Have flood defences been successful at alleviating the pressure of flooding in Shrewsbury?
Hypothesis
What are physical and human factors effecting flooding in Shrewsbury?
How sustainable are the flood defences in Shrewsbury?
Needs looking at.
Photo Shrewsbury floods of 2000

3. Suitable Questions for Geographical Enquiry
Enquiry 2: Geographical Theory
Human Causes of flooding: Urbanisation/ Impermeable ground (concrete/ tarmac)/ Drains/ deforestation Physical Causes of flooding: snowmelt/ storms/ saturated ground
Soft Engineering: (natural/nothing built)
Plant more trees/ sand bags/ text message warnings/ flood plain zoning
Hard engineering: (built up defence)
Flood embankments/ diversion channels/ flood relief channels/ drains/ flood gates

4. Identifying and reducing risks associated with fieldwork
Enquiry 2: Risk Assessment
Project title: Have flood defences been successful at alleviating the pressure of flooding in Shrewsbury?
Hazard
Risk Control
Abduction
Groups of 3
Traffic
Crossings
Weather
Clothing
Strangers/ getting lost/ vehicles/ tripping/

5. Locations of Fieldwork
Enquiry 2- Study Area- Local Scale
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
West England
(Border of Wales)
Meander of the River Severn/ size/ accessible via ____ crossing river Severn or meander neck.

6. Description and justification of data collection methods
Sampling Strategy
Random So not biased

7. Description and justification of data collection methods
Methods/ Limitations
Storm Simulation Poured 2 litres 3 plots (vegetation/ concrete/ soil) See how flood risk changed depending on ground type Limitation: timing wrong/ some water fell off before could catch/ frozen soil plot
Flood Risk Land Use Survey
Used map of town centre
Noted shop type and whether would be at risk
Limitation: not know area/ got lost
Interviews and Questionnaires:
Locals and shop keepers about flood risk opinion
Limitation: not all locals/ shop owners would answer/ some not local so didn’t know/ not ask enough people
Flood Defence Walk:
Looked and mapped out different defences used to stop flooding
Limitation: didn’t know cost/ couldn’t see in action/ some not yet tested as new

8. Flood Risk Land Use Survey (GIS Choropleth Map) Results
Selecting appropriate ways to present fieldwork data
Flood Risk Land Use Survey (GIS Choropleth Map) Results
Areas with more vegetation have a lower flood vulnerability (e.g. Dingle Gardens Quarry Park): permeable ground/ vegetation taking up water/ interception increasing lag time. Value of land = lower and so flood damage will be less.
Areas that are more built up have a higher flood vulnerability (city Centre): more impermeable surfaces therefore there is increased surface run off and so shorter lag time.

9. Shop Owner Interview (Proportional Symbols) Results
Selecting appropriate ways to present fieldwork data
Shop Owner Interview (Proportional Symbols) Results
General pattern: Businesses to the north of the river Severn in Frankwell, Shrewsbury have the perception that flood management in Shrewsbury is successful. South of the river Seven in Frankwell= not successful.

10. Describe, Analyse and Explain fieldwork data
Storm Simulation Plots (Hydrographs) Results
Storm Simulation hydrographs
The site with the longest lag time is low intensity grassland (70 seconds), site with shortest lag time is high intensity urban land use (35 seconds).
Vegetation  intercepts some rainfall = longer lag time  decreased flood risk/ takes up some water  reduces peak discharge= reduced flood risk.
The site with shortest lag time has higher flood risk as water is getting to the river quicker. This was the concrete plot.
Impermeable surfaces increase surface run off, route of water to river quicker = shorter lag time/ steeper rising limb/ higher peak discharge= increased flood risk

11. Describe, Analyse and Explain fieldwork data
Flood Defence Walk Results
Removable Flood Gates at university car park Storm run off drains (underground storage) Flood embankments/ Flood Walls

12. Reach conclusions and evaluate geographical Enquiry
Hypothesis
What are physical and human factors effecting flooding in Shrewsbury?
Evidence of: impermeable surfaces and not enough green space so increased flood risk.
Proved by hydrographs of concrete storm plots and people in more urban areas being more worried about flooding.
2. How sustainable are the flood defences in Shrewsbury?
Removeable gates/ extra storage and flood walls means Shrewsbury has been protected in the most recent floods. This means they are sustainable.

13. Reach conclusions and evaluate geographical Enquiry
Evaluation
Fieldwork Data
Not know enough about how defences worked – could get someone in from the environment agency to interview.
Not enough questionnaires or interviews – more needed to be done.
This would make more valid.

14. Primary Data Collection (Physical) Primary Data Collection (Human)
Limitation of Data collection methods:
Storm Simulation Model
Flood Risk Survey
Interview & Questionnaire
Limitation of Data:
Selection of sites
Scale of project
Why is it appropriate for the enquiry?
Other useful data:
Where is it?
Evaluation
Answer initial research question
Study Area
Have flood defences been successful in alleviating the pressure of flooding in Shrewsbury?
Geographical Theory Underpinning Enquiry
How valid are your conclusions?
Reliability of data
Conclusions
Potential Hazards
Risk Assessment
Data Analysis
Primary Data Collection (Physical)
Hydrographs
Describe Data
Reasons for data
Link to theory
Flood Risk Survey
Describe Data
Reasons for data
Link to theory
How to reduce risk
Storm Simulation
Description
Justification
Primary Data Collection (Human)
Flood Defence Walk
- Describe Data
Reasons for data
Link to theory
Questionnaire
Description
Justification
Flood Risk Survey
Description
Justification
Flood Defence Walk
Description
Justification