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Floods usually result from heavy rainfall or rapid snowmelt. Droughts
are caused by dry weather conditions where water evaporates faster
than it is replenished. The media often report these events because
of the loss of life and property damage that are associated with them
(Figure 1). Floods are important to the natural environment because
they add moisture to dry land, top up aquifers, and provide nutrients
to the soil. Droughts often result in forest fires that clear out old dead
trees and smaller plants, making room for new life. Some tree seeds
only sprout and grow after being heated by a forest fire.
Figure 1 Both floods and droughts can be devastating to people living and farming in an area.
Floods
Floods are the most costly natural disasters in Canada in terms of
property damage. There are different kinds of floods. Each is caused
by a variety of factors.
Rapid snowmelt and many days of heavy rain cause regional floods.
These floods are especially bad if the ground is frozen or already
saturated with water. The water that causes a regional flood tends to
move slowly and covers a wide area. Flooding is an annual event in
many regions, such as the Red River in Manitoba and the Nile River
in Egypt.
Flash floods are the most deadly and damaging kind of flood.
They develop quickly and often without warning. Huge volumes of
fast-moving water rush along river valleys, or even along streets. Flash
floods are generally produced by a sudden storm that stalls over one
location.
Storm surges are floods that occur along coastlines when hurricanes
come ashore. They are particularly dangerous if the coastal land
is below—or only slightly above—sea level. The storm surge that
accompanied Hurricane Katrina left a path of death and destruction
when it came ashore near New Orleans in 2006.
Droughts
There are also different types of droughts. An area with a permanent
drought (less than 2.5 cm of precipitation annually) is called a desert.
A period of six months or more with no rain or snow is referred to
as seasonal drought. Drought can also occur when expected rains do
not fall for a long period of time. People who get their water from
wells are particularly affected by droughts. Wells can dry up, leaving
To learn more about floods
and droughts, households and farmers with no access to fresh water. Unlike floods,
Go to Nelson Science not much can be done to prevent droughts.
Human Activities
Water shortages are often caused by human activities. These are not
natural droughts, but they have similar effects on local populations.
Nearly all of the world’s river systems are now altered by human
activities. People altered water systems by building dams. Large
populations of people withdraw water from river systems for drinking
water and for irrigation. Companies extract and bottle water to sell.
Together, these activities reduce the supply of surface water and
groundwater.
Trees and other vegetation naturally absorb and store water during
wet periods. They then clean the water and release it slowly during
Figure 3 Trees help to hold water in
an area. When the trees are removed,
dry periods. The loss of trees in a watershed and the destruction of
the water leaves, often taking some of wetlands remove this “sponge” effect (Figure 3). Turning natural areas
the soil with it. into farms and cities often reduces water quality.
Does water sink into soil in some areas better than in other 3. Using the beaker, pour 500 mL of water into each container.
areas? This activity will help you to find out. Record the time it takes for all the water in each container
Equipment and Materials: 3 open-ended containers; ruler; to sink into the soil.
marker; beaker (600 mL); timing device; masking tape; water A. Which spot absorbed the water fastest? Slowest?
1. Mark the outside of each container 3 cm from one end with B. Compare the soil in the areas around the three containers.
a piece of masking tape. Are they different in any way?
2. Identify three spots in your schoolyard, one for each C. Explain the different rates at which the water was absorbed.
container. At each spot, use your foot to press the container
into the soil until the soil level reaches the 3 cm mark.
Soil Compaction
Some soils, such as clay, have very small air spaces. Soil scientists call
tiny piece of rock
these “compacted soils” (Figure 5). Water will often collect in pools
on the surface of compacted soils, or run off to lower areas. What will layer of water
happen to an area with loosely packed soil if people start to walk on
it regularly? If one of the areas that you tested in the Try This activity
air space
was an area where people frequently walk, you may have already
observed the effects on the soil. Figure 5 Compacted soil
Unit Task Does your water issue for the Unit Task relate to floods and droughts?
If so, how?