Propelling flood reduction in the Caribbean. A flood is caused by an excessive amount of water that flows across normally dry land. This causes it to become submerged.
- Causes of flood
- Propelling flood reduction in the Caribbean
- Propelling flood reduction in the Caribbean through restoration of mangrove and reef ecosystems
The concept of “flowing water” can also be applied to the tide coming in. This is another meaning of the word. The science of hydrology devotes a portion of its curriculum to the study of floods. These are also a major cause for worry in the fields of agriculture, civil engineering, and public health.
Floods can be produced by a number of different things. This includes excessive rainfall, strong winds blowing over water, unusually high tides and tsunamis. Also, the breakdown of dams, levels, retention ponds, or other structures that were designed to hold water.
The flood plain is an area that forms around many rivers because certain rivers flood from time to time.
In the event that it rains or snows, part of the water is stored in ponds or the soil. Some of it is absorbed by the grass and flora and some is lost to evaporation. Also, the remaining water flows across the ground as surface runoff.
When ponds, lakes, riverbeds, soil and plants are unable to absorb all of the water that is there, this can lead to flooding.
The height of a flood, its peak discharge, the area that it inundates, and the volume of flow may all be measured. The prudent use of land; the building of bridges and dams; as well as the forecast and management of floods all need consideration of these issues.
Propelling flood reduction in the Caribbean
Common methods of flood control include the building of protective levees and storage reservoirs. Also, the upgrading of channels and the indirect execution of programs of soil and the preservation of natural resources. This helps to slow down and absorb runoff from storms.
The terms “flood control” or “reduction” refer to all of the several strategies that are utilized to lessen the destructive impacts of flood water.
The use of sandbags, rock berms, rock rip-raps, preserving normal slopes with vegetation. Also, using soil cement on steeper slopes is one of the most common flood control methods.Construction or enlargement of drainage systems is another frequent method.
Levees, dikes, dams, retention basins, and detention basins are some more types of flood control systems. Several regions decided against constructing levees as a method of flood management. This was due to the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Residents of the communities liked the idea of improving drainage systems by adding retention basins near the construction sites.
According to a recent study, the restoration of mangrove and reef ecosystems results in favorable returns on investment for flood reduction.
The study shows that replanting mangrove forests and coral reefs can be effective. It can also be an inexpensive way to reduce the risk of coastal flooding in more than 20 Caribbean countries.
Reducing flooding naturally
The research was done by the risk and insurance industry and published on May 28 in the journal Ecosystem Services. It applied techniques from these industries to provide rigorous valuations of these natural defenses.It also shows that they can deliver a positive return on investment. That is, with the benefits of less flood damage outweighing the cost of restoration.
The findings suggest new options to assist restoration efforts with money from sources that promote the reduction of hazards, adaptation to changing climates, and recovery from disasters, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the United States (FEMA).
According to the lead author, Michael Beck, a research professor in the Institute of Marine Sciences at UC Santa Cruz who holds the AXA Chair in Co astal Resilience, “We present a number of sources of funding that have generally supported artificial “gray infrastructure,“
Coastal habitats, such as coral reefs and mangrove forests, serve as natural barriers to waves and storm surges. This reduces the amount of damage that floods do to both people and their property.
Reefs and coastal wetlands buffer coasts from floods
However, in many locations, the natural capacity of reefs and coastal wetlands to buffer coasts from floods and erosion has been diminished. This is due to human activities that have degraded these ecosystems.
There are ways that are effective for restoring these essential ecosystems. However, it can be challenging to locate financing for restoration initiatives. Beck said that the amount of money spent on disaster recovery around the world is more than 100 times more than the amount spent on conservation.
“Recovery money will increase as climate change amplifies the consequences of storms,” he added. “However, because natural disasters put a strain on national budgets, environmental funding is likely to go down.”
The report shows the potential to combine conservation efforts, flood risk reduction efforts, and climate adaptation efforts in order to mitigate the dangers posed by storms.
“Funding that is currently being allocated to manmade infrastructure, such as seawalls, may be reallocated to natural defenses,” said Beck. “Natural defenses give various advantages beyond just protecting the shore.”
He went on to say that the findings of the study on return on investment are resilient to changes in discount rates as well as the timing of flood protection advantages.
He remarked, “This may sound obscure, but it may be crucial to receiving money for restoration work from entities such as FEMA.” Although it may sound esoteric, it can be critical.
Restoring coral reefs and mangrove forests
Researchers found places in the Caribbean where investments in restoring coral reefs and mangrove forests could bring back a lot of money.
The Caribbean is an area in the Americas that is made up of the Caribbean Sea, the islands that are located in the Caribbean Sea, and the coastlines that are located around the Caribbean Sea.
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