Question 1 Report
A flood team examined a river gauge on the River Severn after Storm Henk. Fig. 1 shows the gauge station, nearby floodplain and houses behind an embankment. Table 1 gives the water level at six-hour intervals. The warning level is 4.0 m and the severe-flood level is 5.0 m.
| Time | River level (m) |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | 2.7 |
| 06:00 | 3.8 |
| 12:00 | 4.6 |
| 18:00 | 5.3 |
(a) Which reading first exceeded the warning level? [1]
(b) Outline one reason why the floodplain shown in Fig. 1 is at risk. [1]
(a) 12:00 / 4.6 m [1]. (b) Any one: it is low-lying beside the river [1]; floodwater can spill over the channel / embankment [1]; impermeable urban surfaces increase runoff [1]. [1]
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