How Hydrological Processes Help Deal With Floods: EA5016 Assignment

This assignment explores how understanding hydrological processes can be used to better deal with floods. The student begins by defining the hydrological cycle and its importance, then delves into specific strategies for flood management. These include improving soil conditions for better water infiltration, protecting wetlands and planting trees, tackling climate change, and installing water infiltration and attenuation systems. The essay emphasizes the importance of these methods in mitigating the impact of floods. The student references several academic sources to support their arguments and provide evidence-based insights into the topic. The conclusion reinforces the significance of understanding hydrological processes in controlling and managing floods effectively.

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How can we use our understanding of hydrological processes to better deal with floods?
The hydrological-cycle is a continuous movement of water between the earth surface and the
atmosphere. Water reaches the earth surface in form of precipitation such as snow and rain. The
water then evaporates in form of water vapor and condenses in the atmosphere to form clouds
and then falls back again in form of precipitation and the cycle continues1.
When water falls in form of precipitation, it collects on the ground forming streams, rivers,
dams, lakes or the water soaks into the ground forming underground water. Plants take up
ground water either to use it or to release it to the atmosphere. The figure below is an illustration
of a hydrological cycle.
The hydrological cycle is very crucial since it is how after reaches animals, plants and human
beings. Besides providing plants, animals and people with water. It moves things nutrients,
sediments and pathogens in and out of the aquatic ecosystem.
1 Suriya, S. and Mudgal, B.V., 2012. Impact of urbanization on flooding: The Thirusoolam sub watershed–
A case study. Journal of hydrology, 412, pp.210-219.

The understanding of the hydrological processes can help in the control of floods in the
following ways.
Improving the soil conditions
The understanding of the hydrological processes will help us to come up with appropriate soil
management which will enable the soil to hold more water and at the same time to have a better
water infiltration. Well drained soil can be able to absorb huge quantities of water, preventing it
from running into the rivers, hence causing floods2.
Protecting wetlands and planting trees strategically
The protection of wetlands, will act as sponges, soaking up moisture and the forested areas can
help in slowing down water when streams and rivers overflow3. Protecting wetlands and planting
more trees will help to reduce the impact of climate change and reduce the occurrences of floods.
Tackling climate change
Climate change has greatly contributed to change of weather patterns. The climate change has
led to increased global temperatures which on the hand has led to increased evaporation rates,
increased rainfall causing floods. Climate change has also caused the rise in sea level hence
causing coastal flooding. Using the knowledge of hydrological processes we can be able to
tackle climate change hence reducing the occurrence of floods.
Installation of water infiltration and attenuation systems
2 Sivapalan, M., Savenije, H.H. and Blöschl, G., 2012. Socio‐hydrology: A new science of people and
water. Hydrological Processes, 26(8), pp.1270-1276.
3 Yan, K., Di Baldassarre, G., Solomatine, D.P. and Schumann, G.J.P., 2015. A review of low‐cost space‐
borne data for flood modelling: topography, flood extent and water level. Hydrological processes, 29(15),
pp.3368-3387.

The understanding of the hydrological processes will enable us to m come up with a sustainable
urban drainage system which will address the storm flows and flooding from the sealed surfaces.
This system will enable water to be infiltrated into the surface into the ground, through that water
will not be able to flood on the surfaces.
In conclusion, the understanding of the hydrological processes, will play a great role in the
control of floods. The understanding of the hydrological processes will help people to come up
with appropriate ways of managing the soil in order to accommodate more water. The
understanding will also play a very important role in tackling climate change which is among the
main causes of floods.

References
Sivapalan, M., Savenije, H.H. and Blöschl, G., 2012. Socio‐hydrology: A new science of people and
water. Hydrological Processes, 26(8), pp.1270-1276.
Suriya, S. and Mudgal, B.V., 2012. Impact of urbanization on flooding: The Thirusoolam sub watershed–A
case study. Journal of hydrology, 412, pp.210-219.
Yan, K., Di Baldassarre, G., Solomatine, D.P. and Schumann, G.J.P., 2015. A review of low‐cost space‐
borne data for flood modelling: topography, flood extent and water level. Hydrological processes, 29(15),
pp.3368-3387.