Knowledge+Saturation

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**link:** [] There are many pressures on water resources, including those arising from human activities. Additionally driving forces arise from the natural variability in water availability and climate change. Recent history has shown that extreme hydrological events as flood and droughts can create additional stress on water supplies essential for human and ecosystem health. Floods and droughts are extreme events in the hydrological cycle, which describes how water moves throughout the earth in different ways and at different rates. The most vivid image of the water cycle is in the evaporation of water from the ocean, which forms clouds. These clouds drift over the land and produce rain. The rainwater flows into lakes, rivers, or aquifers. The water in lakes, rivers, and aquifers then either evaporates back to the atmosphere or eventually flows back to the ocean, completing a cycle.

Floods
A flood is an overflow of water, an expanse of water submerging land, a deluge. Flooding and its impactsn are often influenced by a combination of natural factors and human interference. Floods are the most common natural disasters in Europe and, in term so economic damage, the most costly ones.

Droughts
A drought is an extended period where water availability falls below the statistical requirements for a region. Also drought is not a purely physical phenomenon, but an interplay between natural water availability and human demands for water supply. Since the demand for European water resources is increasing, also the pressure on water continues to grow and Europe is becoming increasingly vulnerable to the effects of periods without rainfall.

A river basin is the land area, from which rainfall drains into a certain river. The Danube river basin covers ~8% of Europe. This term is also used in the EU Water Framework Directive, specifying that a river basin holds even an outlet to sea.  =//**__Comment:__**// =
 * Did you know?**

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**We think that floods and droughts are a very serious matter that happens all over the world. Floods and droughts happen because of the water cycle, some countries get affected a lot and some don't. The most interesting fact that we have learned from this piece of information is that floods and droughts are the most extreme events in the hydrological cycle because it describes how the water moves around the earth in different rates and ways.** ======

What's a drought? Most of us think of it as “no rainfall", but it's not that simple. Drought is when you have less rainfall than you expected over an extended period of time, usually several months or longer. Drought is a normal part of climate, and it can occur almost anywhere on earth. For example, Arizona and Maine have very different climates (see [|figures]), but drought occurs in both states. Drought's features and effects vary from place to place because of different geographical features and cultures, which affect how people use water. A shortage of rainfall can result in major impacts on agriculture, city water supplies, tourism and recreation, energy (power) production, river navigation, and the environment. (See [|How Drought Affects Us] for more information.) If you are a farmer, drought means that you do not have enough water in the soil for crops to grow normally or for pastures to produce enough grass for livestock. For farmers who rely on irrigation to produce their crops, drought may be a shortage of water in reservoirs, streams, or groundwater, and irrigation may be restricted. If you live in a city, drought may result in a shortage of water for watering grass, trees, and other plants. Often during drought, people in cities are asked to conserve water used inside the home and outside. Has your town or city experienced drought recently and have residents been asked to [|conserve water]? In the United States, although drought can cause serious economic impacts, it usually does not result in food shortages. For example, a drought may affect the production of vegetables or fruits, which may result in an increase in prices for these foods. In some countries, however, drought may result in severe food shortages that lead to serious problems of malnutrition and famine. Providing food to these affected areas is a major activity of international relief organizations, like the [|Red Cross]. There are many definitions of drought because its characteristics and impacts differ from one location to another. A general definition that we use at the National Drought Mitigation Center is "a deficiency of rainfall over a period of time, resulting in a water shortage for some activity, group, or environmental sector." See the National Drought Mitigation Center's [|overview of drought] and (for more in-depth information) [|definitions of drought]. Another way to think of drought is in terms of supply and demand. The water that we receive from rainfall is the supply that we have available. We often [|store water] in reservoirs and lakes. We also sometimes have water available in underground aquifers. We use water for many activities. During drought, the amount of available water is reduced. So, we must [|reduce our use or demand for water] so that there is enough available to meet our basic needs until rainfall amounts return to normal. = = =__//Comment://__ =
 * What is Drought? **

=**We conclude that droughts happen in any part of the entire earth. We have summarized one simple explanation of what a drought is.. "Droughts occur when there has been no rainfall over a certain amount of time. For example 7 months or longer." We have rewritten this into our own words. link: [] **=



//The colors on this map show where the ocean temperature is above (yellows and reds) or below (blues and violets) normal.// National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


 * Here are a few pictures to show what the droughts look like.**

=here is a simple cartoon to explain. ^ = = = =YouTube Videos = media type="youtube" key="JYdPk-fNI18" height="344" width="425"

==// __Comment:__ // //We chose to add this video because it shows a very good example of a flood. Floods don't have to be gigantic pools of water, floods can be just 1 cm above ground level. This video also shows what people suffer from in a flood. As it shows in the clip, buisnesses shut down and people can't travel anywhere. But what the video doesn't show is the other side affects from a flood. Farmers cattle and animals drown and crops die out. Gardeners can't even produce vegetables and food.//==

==//Comment: While searching through YouTube for videos on floods we came across this video. Though this video doesn't have people talking in it, it clearly explains how horrible floods are and what happens if there is one in your town/country. It said that this was filmed while they were on their way to the airport and they saw that there was a flood. Upon watching this video it kind of makes you think how we are because floods rarely happen in some parts of New Zealand.//==


===**5. Rapid City, South Dakota (1972)** Flash food with a death toll was 237. That’s extreme, considering a flash food is simply rain over a short period — just a matter of hours. ===

**4. Santa Paula, California (1928)** The St. Francis Dam collapsed, killing 450.
===**3. Ohio River (1913)** Rain over days, weeks, and months caused the Ohio river to exceed it’s banks and convert nearby cities and towns into part of the lake. New meaning for lakehouse, I guess? (Har, Har). === ===<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**<span style="color: rgb(175, 20, 8);">2. Mississippi Valley (1937)** Heavy rains took the lives of 1,100 people, destroying 75,000 homes and leaving 600,000 homeless. === ===<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**<span style="color: rgb(175, 20, 8);">1. Johnstown, Pennsylvania (1889)** Several days of heavy downpours caused the upriver South Fork dam to collapse, sending millions of gallons of water downstream toward the town of Johnstown. This was the first major disaster relief effort handled by the American Red Cross and it’s founder Clara Barton. ===

<span style="color: rgb(175, 20, 8); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">
===<span style="color: rgb(175, 20, 8); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">//Comment: <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Now that we take a closer look at what some of the people in other countries have been through, it seems that we are very fortunate in our circumstance of living here in New Zealand. We can also now see clearly // //how many families, brothers, sister ,husbands, how much sorrow they have wives, sons, daughters, grandparents etc have been lost by numerous amounts of people and how much sorrow they have been through depending on how many people they have lost. Link: http://www.theworstdaily.com/5-worst-floods-in-us-history///===

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: rgb(175, 20, 8);">Here's a few flood facts:
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif;">** 1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> **** What is a flood and when do most occur? ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif;">A flood is the inundation of a normally dry area caused by an increased water level in an established watercourse, such as a river, stream, or drainage ditch, or ponding of water at or near the point where the rain fell. Floods can occur anytime during the year. However, many occur seasonally after winter snow melts or heavy spring rains. <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Flash floods occur suddenly, usually within 6 hours of the rain event, and result from heavy localized rainfall or levee failures. Flash floods can begin before the rain stops. Water level on small streams may rise quickly in heavy rainstorms, especially near the headwaters of river basins. Heavy rains can also cause flash flooding in areas where the floodplain has been urbanized.
 * 2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> **** What are flash floods? **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif;">Ice jams and dam failures can also cause both flooding and flash flooding. <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif;">
 * 3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> **** What are other causes of flooding in **** Michigan **** ? **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif;">** 4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> **** Are people killed as a result of floods? ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Many people are killed by flash floods when driving or walking on roads and bridges that are covered by water. In fact, flash floods are the number one weather-related killer in the United States. Even six inches of fast-moving flood water can knock you off your feet, and a depth of only two feet of water will float many of today's automobiles. If you are in a car and water starts rising, get out and move to higher ground.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif;">** 5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> **** What is a flood watch? **

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif;">A flood watch indicates that flash flooding or flooding is possible within the designated WATCH area -- be alert. It is issued to inform the public and cooperating agencies that current and developing weather conditions are such that there is a threat of flooding, but the occurrence is neither certain nor imminent.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif;">** 6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> What is a flash flood or flood warning? **

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif;">A flash flood or flood warning indicates that flash flooding or flooding is already occurring or imminent within the designated WARNING area -- take necessary precautions at once. When a flash flood or flood warning is issued for your area, act quickly. Get out of areas subject to flooding and avoid areas where flooding has already occurred.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif;">**7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> What is a flash flood or flood statement?** <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif;">A flash flood or flood statement is used for follow-up information regarding a flash flood or flood event.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Comment: Floods are a serious disaster to the world and can kill up to millions of people all over the world.
Link: http://mcswa.org/floodfacts.aspx