Culverts transfer water and help control where it flows, often directing it underneath roads and railways so that people and goods can continue to move safely. Building for a wetter futureĮngineers design stormwater control systems to limit the damage that rainfall can do. Flood waters can be much faster and stronger than they appear – and therefore more dangerous. And if you’re outdoors and encounter flooded spots, such as water-covered roadways, it is always safer to wait for the water to recede or turn back and find a safer route. It’s critical to know where to get up-to-date weather information for your area. Low-lying areas are at risk of flooding, whether it happens slowly or quickly and whether it’s an urban or rural setting. The best way to stay safe in a flash flood is to be aware of the danger and be ready to respond. These events can wash away cars and even move buildings off their foundations. In rural areas with steep terrain, such as Appalachia, flash flooding can turn creeks and rivers into raging torrents.įlash floods often catch people by surprise, even though weather forecasters and emergency personnel try to warn and prepare communities. In urban areas, that’s often streets, parking lots and basements in low-lying zones. Since water runs downhill, rainfall will seek the lowest point in a potential pathway. Flash floods are common in desert landscapes after heavy rainfalls and in areas with shallow soil depths above solid bedrock that limits the soil’s ability to absorb rain. Flooding can also occur after a drought, when soil is too dry and hardened to absorb the precipitation. If an area has had recent rainfall, the soil may be saturated to capacity and unable to absorb any more water. When more rainfall lands in an area than the ground can absorb, or it falls in areas with a lot of impervious surfaces like concrete and asphalt that prevent the ground from absorbing the precipitation, the water has few places to go and can rise very quickly. It often is caused by heavy or excessive rainfall and happens in areas near rivers or lakes, but it also can happen in places with no water bodies nearby.įlash floods happen in rural and urban areas, as in late July 2022 in St. The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research.įlash flooding is a specific type of flooding that occurs in a short time frame after a precipitation event – generally less than six hours.
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