Session 3: Flood risk

Many people and livelihoods are affected by flooding. This topic is designed to help understand why and where flooding can occur, and how floodplain meadows can help to reduce the impact of flooding for affected communities. More information on how mental wellbeing can be supported can be found in Session 5 Connection to nature.

If rainfall exceeds the ability of the ground surface to absorb it, water will accumulate and begin to flow. This overland flow may create a surface-water flood almost anywhere; alternatively, it may enter a river. Once in a river, it may be carried out to sea, avoiding a flood, but if the river’s capacity is exceeded, then a river based (fluvial) flood may occur. Humans have affected the likelihood of floods in three ways: changed land use, reducing the ability of the landscape to absorb water; altered infrastructure to speed the flow of water from where it falls; warmed the atmosphere, making it able to hold more water, thereby increasing heavy rain events.