Geography: Hard and soft engineering

Geography: Hard and soft engineering

1. Hard

   • Man made structures built to control the flow of rivers and reduce flooding
   • Dams + Reservoirs
     • Dams: Huge walls - Across rivers - Upper course Reservoirs: Artificial lake - Behind dam
     • R: Store water - Drinking water - HEP
     • Expensive - Flood existing settlements - Eroded material deposited - Farmland less fertile
   • Channel straightening
     • Course straightened - Artificial channeled
     • Moves out of area quickly
     • Dis: Flooding downstream - Erosion downstream

2. Soft

   • Schemes set up using knowledge of a river and its processes to reduce the effects of flooding
   • Flood warnings
     • Environment agency warn people through radio + TV
     • Time to remove items - Put sandbags out - Evacuate
     • Difficult to get insurance - Might not have access to warnings
   • Preperation
     • Modify buildings - Reduce damage - Plans
       • Less damage - Less worry
     • Doesnt guarantee safety - False sense of security - Expensive
   • Flood plain zoning
     • Prevent building on areas
       • No impermeable surfaces
     • Expantation limited
   • Do nothing
     • No money spent - Fertile land
     • Risks not reduced