Water School

Archive by tag: floodReturn

What is flood stage?

Flooding

Flood stage is an established gage height within a creek or river above which a rise in water surface level is described as a flood. This is the elevation at which the overflow of the natural banks of a stream or body of water begins.The gage height is the height of the water surface above a predetermined point. Once the gage height becomes too high in the lowest bank of reach this is when flood damage begins to impact an area. The National Weather Service uses gage height numbers to inform peop...

What is a flood plain?

Flooding, Hydrology

A floodplain is any ordinarily dry land area susceptible to inundation by water. This area is usually low, flat, and next to a stream or other body of water. Living on a floodplain can be especially dangerous in the circumstance that flooding does occur. There is always some risk for those on a floodplain, whether it’s people, businesses, or agriculture. Some floodplains are clearly defined by natural features, by infrastructure made by people, or not clearly outlined.Some floodplains are ...

What is a flash flood?

The National Weather Service classifies a flash flood as an overflow of water onto normally dry land caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time, generally less than 6 hours.Flash floods are usually characterized by raging torrents after heavy rains that rip through river beds, urban streets, or mountain canyons sweeping everything before them. They can occur within minutes or a few hours of excessive rainfall. They can also occur even if no rain has fallen, for instance afte...

What is a flash flood warning?

Flooding, Hydrology

The National Weather Service issues a flash flood warning to inform the public, emergency management, and other cooperating agencies that flash flooding is in progress, imminent, or highly likely.

What is the National Flood Insurance Program?

Flooding, Hydrology

The National Flood Insurance Program is a federal insurance program under which flood-prone areas are identified and flood insurance is made available to residents of participating communities that agree to adopt and enforce floodplain management ordinances to reduce future flood damage. For additional information and qualification requirements, click here.

What is a 500-year flood?

Flooding, Hydrology

A 500-year flood is a high streamflow that overflows the natural or artificial banks of a waterway and has a two-tenths of 1% chance of occurring in any given year.

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