Question 1

If you are standing in the middle of a river and look at either side, you might see tall earthen hills. What are they and what do they do?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are levees and they hold in floodwaters. 
B)  They are drains and they drain water to the city. 
C)  They are dams and let water out slowly. 
D)  They are cutbanks and they hold in water. 
A)  They are levees and they hold in floodwaters. 
B)  They are drains and they drain water to the city. 
C)  They are dams and let water out slowly. 
D)  They are cutbanks and they hold in water.

Question 2

Which of the following natural hazards is the number 1 disaster in the United States in terms of lives lost over the past century?

Accepted Answer

A)  Floods 
B)  Volcanoes 
C)  Earthquakes 
D)  Landslides 
E)  Lightning 
A)  Floods 
B)  Volcanoes 
C)  Earthquakes 
D)  Landslides 
E)  Lightning

Question 3

The gradient of streams is higher at headwaters than at the mouth of a river.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

Living near a dam is very safe because you will never have to worry about flooding.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Which of the following has the LEAST effect on flood damage? Assume that a moderate amount of development is available for flood damage.

Accepted Answer

A)  People's use of the floodplain 
B)  Flood duration 
C)  Geographic region 
D)  Speed of the floodwaters 
A)  People's use of the floodplain 
B)  Flood duration 
C)  Geographic region 
D)  Speed of the floodwaters

Question 6

What is the role of a drainage basin?

Accepted Answer

A)  Rivers empty into a drainage basin, which represents a lake or the ocean. 
B)  A drainage basin is the area drained by a river and all of its tributaries. 
C)  A drainage basin is very permeable soil into which flood waters seep instead of going into a river. 
D)  A drainage basin is very impermeable soil, where flood waters are held and eventually evaporate instead of going into a river. 
E)  A drainage basin is a set of underground tunnels that drain water into the ocean. 
A)  Rivers empty into a drainage basin, which represents a lake or the ocean. 
B)  A drainage basin is the area drained by a river and all of its tributaries. 
C)  A drainage basin is very permeable soil into which flood waters seep instead of going into a river. 
D)  A drainage basin is very impermeable soil, where flood waters are held and eventually evaporate instead of going into a river. 
E)  A drainage basin is a set of underground tunnels that drain water into the ocean.

Question 7

What distinguishes flash floods from downstream floods?

Accepted Answer

A)  Flash floods are caused by thunderstorms, downstream floods do not involve lightning and thunder. 
B)  Flash floods occur in the upper part of a drainage basin, downstream floods occur in the lower part of a drainage basin. 
C)  Flash floods don't really involve any danger, downstream floods are extremely dangerous. 
D)  Flash floods are only common with large rivers, downstream floods generally involve much smaller rivers. 
A)  Flash floods are caused by thunderstorms, downstream floods do not involve lightning and thunder. 
B)  Flash floods occur in the upper part of a drainage basin, downstream floods occur in the lower part of a drainage basin. 
C)  Flash floods don't really involve any danger, downstream floods are extremely dangerous. 
D)  Flash floods are only common with large rivers, downstream floods generally involve much smaller rivers.

Question 8

What should you do during a flood?

Accepted Answer

A)  Move to higher ground away from the river. 
B)  Wade into the water to see how deep it really is. 
C)  Drive your car through water to get to safety. 
D)  Swim across water to a safer location. 
E)  Go to a bridge and watch the water rise. 
A)  Move to higher ground away from the river. 
B)  Wade into the water to see how deep it really is. 
C)  Drive your car through water to get to safety. 
D)  Swim across water to a safer location. 
E)  Go to a bridge and watch the water rise.

Question 9

What is avulsion?

Accepted Answer

A)  A river overflows its banks and leaves pools of water behind in the floodplain. 
B)  A river turns and moves in the opposite direction due to uplift caused by a fault. 
C)  A river shifts its position after a flood. 
D)  A river overflows and completely fills the floodplain. 
E)  A river deposits sediment and creates a fan-like structure. 
A)  A river overflows its banks and leaves pools of water behind in the floodplain. 
B)  A river turns and moves in the opposite direction due to uplift caused by a fault. 
C)  A river shifts its position after a flood. 
D)  A river overflows and completely fills the floodplain. 
E)  A river deposits sediment and creates a fan-like structure.

Question 10

If the discharge of a river is constant and the river channel suddenly widens, then the velocity of the river will decrease.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Tributaries are smaller streams which drain into larger rivers.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Explain how a floodplain forms.

Accepted Answer

A floodplain is flat

Question 13

Construction of levees can actually make floods worse in areas upstream and downstream from the construction.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Which rivers have the highest gradient?

Accepted Answer

A)  Rivers near their base level 
B)  Rivers near the ocean 
C)  Rivers in gentle valleys 
D)  Rivers moving down mountains 
A)  Rivers near their base level 
B)  Rivers near the ocean 
C)  Rivers in gentle valleys 
D)  Rivers moving down mountains

Question 15

What would the longitudinal profile of a river flowing from a gentle valley into an ocean look like?

Accepted Answer

A)  A steeply downward sloping line 
B)  A steeply upward sloping line 
C)  A gently downward sloping line 
D)  A gently upward sloping line 
E)  An upward sloping and then downward sloping line 
A)  A steeply downward sloping line 
B)  A steeply upward sloping line 
C)  A gently downward sloping line 
D)  A gently upward sloping line 
E)  An upward sloping and then downward sloping line

Question 16

Does it have to be raining for a river to flood?

Accepted Answer

A)  Yes. Only the rain that falls into the river fills it up and causes it to overflow. 
B)  Yes. Rain runs off over the ground and into the river causing flooding. 
C)  No. Snow and rain that fall into the river fill it up and cause it to overflow. 
D)  No. Rivers can flood after rain has stopped and tributaries have flowed into bigger streams. 
E)  No. Rivers can flood during droughts without any rain. 
A)  Yes. Only the rain that falls into the river fills it up and causes it to overflow. 
B)  Yes. Rain runs off over the ground and into the river causing flooding. 
C)  No. Snow and rain that fall into the river fill it up and cause it to overflow. 
D)  No. Rivers can flood after rain has stopped and tributaries have flowed into bigger streams. 
E)  No. Rivers can flood during droughts without any rain.

Question 17

Explain the role of rivers in the rock cycle.

Accepted Answer

Rivers transport sediment from

Question 18

Describe a hydrograph for a river that has experienced a flash flood and one that has experienced a downstream flood. What is the difference in the two hydrographs?

Accepted Answer

The hydrograph of a flash flood is a nar

Question 19

Where on a river would you most likely find point bars?

Accepted Answer

A)  On the outside of a bend 
B)  On the inside of a bend 
C)  At the mouth of the river 
D)  At the headwaters of the river 
E)  In the center of the river 
A)  On the outside of a bend 
B)  On the inside of a bend 
C)  At the mouth of the river 
D)  At the headwaters of the river 
E)  In the center of the river

Question 20

What two parameters are plotted in a hydrograph?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cross-sectional area vs. stage 
B)  Stage vs. elevation 
C)  Discharge vs. time 
D)  Stage vs. gradient 
E)  Velocity vs. discharge 
A)  Cross-sectional area vs. stage 
B)  Stage vs. elevation 
C)  Discharge vs. time 
D)  Stage vs. gradient 
E)  Velocity vs. discharge

If you are standing in the middle of a river and look at either side, you might see tall earthen hills. What are they and what do they do?

Which of the following natural hazards is the number 1 disaster in the United States in terms of lives lost over the past century?

The gradient of streams is higher at headwaters than at the mouth of a river.

Living near a dam is very safe because you will never have to worry about flooding.

Which of the following has the LEAST effect on flood damage? Assume that a moderate amount of development is available for flood damage.

What is the role of a drainage basin?

What distinguishes flash floods from downstream floods?

What should you do during a flood?

What is avulsion?

If the discharge of a river is constant and the river channel suddenly widens, then the velocity of the river will decrease.

Tributaries are smaller streams which drain into larger rivers.

Explain how a floodplain forms.

Construction of levees can actually make floods worse in areas upstream and downstream from the construction.

Which rivers have the highest gradient?

What would the longitudinal profile of a river flowing from a gentle valley into an ocean look like?

Does it have to be raining for a river to flood?

Explain the role of rivers in the rock cycle.

Describe a hydrograph for a river that has experienced a flash flood and one that has experienced a downstream flood. What is the difference in the two hydrographs?

Where on a river would you most likely find point bars?

What two parameters are plotted in a hydrograph?

Introduction to Natural Hazards

Internal Structure of the Earth and Plate Tectonics

Earthquakes

Tsunamis

Volcanoes

Mass Wasting

Subsidence and Soils

Atmosphere and Severe Weather

Hurricanes and Extratropical Cyclones

Coastal Hazards

Climate and Climate Change

Wildfires

Impacts and Extinctions

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Exam 6: Flooding

If you are standing in the middle of a river and look at either side, you might see tall earthen hills. What are they and what do they do?

Which of the following natural hazards is the number 1 disaster in the United States in terms of lives lost over the past century?

The gradient of streams is higher at headwaters than at the mouth of a river.

Living near a dam is very safe because you will never have to worry about flooding.

Which of the following has the LEAST effect on flood damage? Assume that a moderate amount of development is available for flood damage.

What is the role of a drainage basin?

What distinguishes flash floods from downstream floods?

What should you do during a flood?

What is avulsion?

If the discharge of a river is constant and the river channel suddenly widens, then the velocity of the river will decrease.

Tributaries are smaller streams which drain into larger rivers.

Explain how a floodplain forms.

Construction of levees can actually make floods worse in areas upstream and downstream from the construction.

Which rivers have the highest gradient?

What would the longitudinal profile of a river flowing from a gentle valley into an ocean look like?

Does it have to be raining for a river to flood?

Explain the role of rivers in the rock cycle.

Describe a hydrograph for a river that has experienced a flash flood and one that has experienced a downstream flood. What is the difference in the two hydrographs?

Where on a river would you most likely find point bars?

What two parameters are plotted in a hydrograph?

Introduction to Natural Hazards

Internal Structure of the Earth and Plate Tectonics

Earthquakes

Tsunamis

Volcanoes

Mass Wasting

Subsidence and Soils

Atmosphere and Severe Weather

Hurricanes and Extratropical Cyclones

Coastal Hazards

Climate and Climate Change

Wildfires

Impacts and Extinctions

Filters