Flood

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/flood

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific classification?Hydrological event characterized by water inundation of normally dry land
2. What is the human impact factors?Deforestation, urbanization (impervious surfaces), wetland destruction, and levee construction
3. Why do floods happen so fast?Floods can happen quickly when a lot of rain falls in a short time, or when snow melts fast. The soil can’t soak up all the water, so it runs off into rivers and lakes.
4. How does city pavement cause floods?In cities, roads and roofs are made of concrete and asphalt, which don’t let water soak into the ground. The water then piles up on streets and can overflow into homes.

Infiltration Capacity: The rate at which soil can absorb water from the surface.
Impervious Surfaces: Materials like concrete and asphalt that do not allow water to pass through.
Storm Surge: An abnormal rise of sea level generated by a storm, over and above the predicted tide.
Water Table: The upper level of the saturated zone of groundwater.