Are fluctuations in flooding the result of changing land use patterns, climate change, or both and why?
538752
It can be one or the other or both.\n\nFor example, farming may change a forest into land that is easily eroded. Climate changes include lots of rain either at the site or upstream Maybe a hot summer will melt more snow from a mountain..there are just a few examples.
977445
because wetlands (swamps) act like big sponges and they soak up all the water. that's why we have worse floods in areas where the natural wetlands have been paved over because there aren't wetlands to soak up the water anymore.
608068
Global warming refers to the increases in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans that has been observed in recent decades. The scientific opinion on climate change is that the average global temperature has risen 0.6 ± 0.2 °C over the 20th century, and that it is likely that "most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities". The increased volumes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) released by the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing and agriculture, and other human activities, are the primary sources of the human-induced component of warming.\n\nObservational sensitivity studies and climate models referenced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predict that global temperatures may increase by between 1.4 and 5.8 °C between 1990 and 2100. The range of uncertainty results in large part from not knowing the volume of future carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, there is uncertainty about the climate sensitivity.The increase in global temperatures is expected to result in other changes including rises in sea level and changes in the amount and pattern of precipitation. Such changes may increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, heat waves, and hurricanes. This may also cause lower agricultural yields, glacier retreat, reduced summer streamflows, or contribute to biological extinctions. Although warming is expected to affect the number and magnitude of these events, it is difficult to connect any particular event to global warming. Although most studies focus on the period up to 2100, warming (and sea level rise due to thermal expansion) would be expected to continue past then, since CO2 has a long average atmospheric lifetime. [1].\n\nThere are only a few scientists who contest the view that humanity's actions have played a significant role in increasing recent temperatures. However, more significant uncertainties exist regarding how much climate change should be expected in the future, and a hotly-contested political and public debate exists over what, if anything, should be done to reduce or reverse future warming, and how to cope with the consequences.\n\nThe term 'Global warming' is a specific case of the more general term 'climate change' (which can also refer to cooling, such as in Ice ages). Furthermore, the term is in principle neutral as to the causes, but in common usage, 'global warming' generally implies a human influence. Note, however, that the UNFCCC uses 'climate change' for human caused change and 'climate variability' for non-human caused change [2]. Some organizations use the term 'anthropogenic climate change' for human induced changes.
561124
Yes. My neighbor has collected weather data for the last 15 years.  It's mostly temperature, rain amount, and a general description of the weather.  I did a statistical analysis of the temperature data and discovered that the trend indicated an increasing temperature.  I used a least squares analysis and plotted the graph.  I did this for a monthly average, and a yearly average.  The trend is upward for both, and some record highs were recorded in several months. I don't want to get into the details for anyone who is a statistical genius at this point.  The outcome seems to depend on which political party you belong to in the US. \nThere are also some wild fluctuations in temperature, and wind events.  We have had some severe storms that have damaged large areas of pristine forests, and we have had some major flooding. I live in Pennsylvania and, yes, I would say the temperature is changing somewhat by inching upwards, based on temperature data.  The voracity of some storm events are very damaging, as viewed over my lifetime in this geographic area.  Friend to friend, I would think about moving to Europe if I was you.  You are going to experience a cataclysmic event in the near future that will have devastating effects on the UK.  At least that's what my research shows.  But, it's just the rantings of a conspiracy nut, that's what my friends say.
249380
definitely. it's practically the one part of global warming scientists agree on.\nover the next century, we will see the oceans warming and thus expanding (sadly flooding places like Venice), also the polar ice caps melting (once again, not good. they keep the earth cool...see a vicious cycle?), not to mention serious climate change and animals migrating to the north to keep cool. it's already happening...yikes!
750471
I'm not sure what level of technical knowledge you are looking for, but here are a few ideas:\n\nThe water cycle\nThe greenhouse effect\nDepletion of the ozone layer (NOT the same as above) \nFood chain based around a coral reef\nWaste disposal techniques\nPros and cons of alternative fuels\nEl Nino as an environmental phenomenon\nWhat if sea levels change?\n\nGood Luck!
35095
Probably not. In my humble opinion, humans ultimately play a very insignificant role in the processes that shape this planet, when viewed from a geologic time-scale. After all, more than 90% of all species on this planet were extinct long before hominids evolved. The planet has experienced global warming much more extreme than the present warming trend, and forces such as plate tectonics and isostatic rebound are contributing to problems like the subsidence of the Louisiana coastline probably more so than man's changes in the drainage of the Mississippi River. There is evidence that the modern coastal subsidence of the US Gulf Coast is related to isostatic rebound from the glaciers melting in North America over 10,000 years ago. That is how slow many of these processes work. The climate of this planet has never been static, nor has the shape of the continents. Natural events like climate-changing volcanic eruptions, earthquakes (which build mountains that ultimately change weather patterns), catastrophic tsunamis, meteorite impacts, erosion, catastrophic floods, landslides, glaciation, all have much more impact on a geologic scale than man has done. Even catastrophic oil-spills occurred as a result of natural processes long before man built a supertanker. This planet might not even be habitable by humans if not for the warming effect of radioactive decay within the earth, and over geologic time, that will gradually decline. Light and heat from the sun is something we have no control over that will certainly change over time. Of course, none of this excuses man for damaging the planet with deforestation, greenhouse gases, habitat destruction, etc., but we all need to recognize that even our best efforts may not affect the long-term changes that are taking place around us almost unseen due to the slow progress of these changes. We are going to have to work at not becoming just another part of the fossil record and our ability to adapt to climate change is probably the only thing that will allow the human race to survive long-term. This is just the opinion of this geologist.
301188
If you mean global warming, it's the scientific observation that the earth's temperature is rising over a period of time This is resulting in polar melting, raising the ocean level and affecting other weather patterns.
265293
It is due to a change in the mass as the volume of water changes.
1092474
How everyone will survive when land is covered with water due to Global Warming.\nPlz Visit:\nwww.geocities.com/futuresystematization\nfor my answer.\n\nWaiting for your reply\nSANU\nResearch Engineer
52661
after looking around at the usgs fl page for groundwater levels and recent precipitation records, i would guess that your water table has risen somewhat. from what i gather, this is normal fluctuation.  my answer is nothing more than a guess, because the data i looked at doesn't really support any other cause.  (all that just to say "I don't know.)
163435
it sounds like you're talking about global warming. it's very likely that the oceans will rise significantly and that the coastline of all the continents and islands is gonna change considerably. the latest I've heard is not 3' in the next 30 years but maybe 1'.
860373
The most important change would be with the weather, for example California would have more rainfall but the east would have substantially less. This would also cause a shift in the ocean currents and the vast rivers under the oceans could be reversed causing further climatic change.
946676
I think the changes in the environment have drastically effected our weather.\nSome weather changes are normal and expected.It s the earths way of renewing itself.However, I believe these changes are most drastic because of the depletion of the zone layer.,pollution and global warming.
338188
The causes of the floods in the Severn Valley in 1998 can be split into two sections: human and physical causes. The human causes of the floods were summed up by the then Shadow Countryside Minister Tim Yeo MP, he said ‘the flooding had increased because of the housing developments on Greenfield sites.’ By this he means that by concreting over the land humans have increased the rate of surface runoff and decreased the saturation levels of the ground. When surface runoff is high rainwater reaches the river faster. It would appear that the speed in which the water reached the river was too fast for the river to handle. The river filled up reaching bank-full discharge and then overflowing its banks onto the flood plain. The flood plain of the River Severn is built on, therefore, when the river floods it floods onto residential areas. With the building of these urban areas the amount of vegetation in the area surrounding the river was reduced, this affects the river two ways. It reduces the amount of interception, which in turn increases the speed of runoff into the river. The lack of vegetation also leads to the saturation of the ground. During the months of October and November the rainfall in the Severn Valley was high, as the water soaked into the ground it became saturated. More vegetation in the area would have meant the vegetation using the water would have decreased the amount of water in ground storage. Physical factors of the flood in 1998 are many; however, the most important one was the amount of rainfall. In October 1998 many areas received record amounts of rainfall caused by a ‘hurricane’. This ‘hurricane’ brought very heavy rain and strong winds. The fact the rain was heavy means that the river did not have time to dissipate the water quick enough and the runoff was too fast, making the river rise t such an extent that it flooded. The area of the river upstream was worst effected, the area drown stream was not so badly effected because the river widens down stream. The saturation of the ground meant that any precipitation after the ground began saturated just added to the floodwaters. Other physical factors include the flat and low-lying nature of the landscape surrounding the Severn. This meant that as the water breached the banks it just spread across the land: \n\n\nNumber of Affected Homesteads - 9,80,571 9. Number of Death - 918 10. Cattle heads killed - 26,564 11. Road Damaged (km)- 15,927 12. Embankment Damaged (km)- 4,528 13. Number of Damaged Bridge /Culverts- 6,890 14. Number of Educational Institutions - 1,718 15. Number of Flood Shelter - 2,716 16. Number of People take refuge - 10,49,525 Bangladesh - Floods OCHA Situation Report The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief as of 15 September 1998 provided the following update on flood damage: Districts Affected: 52 Thanas affected: 366 Persons affected: 30.6 million Total dead: 783 Crops damaged: 1,497,500 (acres) Houses damaged: 894,015 Roads damaged: 15,900 (km) Embankment damaged: 4,451 (km) Shelters: 2,661 Sheltered people: 1 million
1083463
Why not have enough for both? Why not make both? Instead of using money on stupid sh*t (you can think of a lot of things are money is going to waste on), we can make more swamps to control floodings, and it will also help out our eco system.
631385
Hype? The truth is that the earth is warming up and the climate is changing.