Worksheet: River Flooding | IGCSE Oxford Geography Foundations for Year 6 - Class 6 PDF Download

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

Q1: Which factor does not contribute to river flooding?
A: Heavy rainfall
B: Rapid snowmelt
C: Afforestation
D: Urbanization

Ans: C. 

Afforestation, or planting trees, helps absorb water and slows its flow into rivers, reducing the risk of flooding.

Q2: What is the primary role of agencies like the Environment Agency in England regarding floods?
A: Building dams
B: Monitoring and predicting floods
C: Planting trees
D: Urban planning

Ans: B. 

The Environment Agency monitors weather conditions to predict floods and issue timely warnings.

Q3: What is a common engineering solution to reduce the risk of flooding?
A: Cutting down trees
B: Constructing embankments
C: Increasing steep slopes
D: Replacing soil with concrete

Ans: B.

Embankments are raised structures designed to contain rivers and prevent overflow.

Q 4: How does urbanization affect the risk of flooding?

A: It decreases surface runoff

B: It increases water absorption

C: It increases surface runoff

D: It has no effect on flooding

Ans: C.

Urbanization leads to more impermeable surfaces, increasing runoff and flood risk.

Q5: Controlled flooding is a strategy used to:
A: Increase the speed of river flow
B: Protect vulnerable regions from flooding
C: Build up groundwater supplies
D: Encourage urban development

Ans: B.

Controlled flooding allows water to flood certain areas safely to protect more populated or at-risk regions.

Fill in the Blanks:

Q1: Heavy rainfall or rapid snowmelt can lead to a river overflowing its banks, a situation known as a __________. 

Ans: River flood

Q 2: When soil is too saturated or too __________, it cannot absorb water, increasing the risk of flooding. 

Ans: Dry

Q3: __________, or the removal of trees, can significantly increase the risk of flooding. 

Ans: Deforestation

Q4: The __________ Agency in England is responsible for monitoring weather conditions and predicting floods. 

Ans: Environment

Q5: To reduce flooding risks, one method is to construct __________ along rivers to contain the water. 

Ans: Embankments

True/False:

Q1: A river flood occurs when a river’s water level is lower than its banks. 

Ans: False

A river flood happens when the water level rises above the river’s banks.

Q2: Urbanization can decrease the risk of flooding by increasing the ground’s ability to absorb water. 

Ans: False

Urbanization typically increases flood risk by creating more impermeable surfaces.

Q3: Planting trees is an effective strategy to reduce the risk of river flooding. 

Ans: True

Trees help absorb water and reduce runoff, mitigating flood risk.

Q4: The Environment Agency in England issues warnings and advice on what to do before, during, and after a flood.

AnsTrue

The Environment Agency provides guidance for flood situations.

Q 5: Straightening a river channel will slow down the flow of water, reducing the risk of flooding. 

Ans: False

Straightening a river channel actually speeds up the flow of water, which can sometimes increase the risk of flooding.

Match the Following

Answer: 1 - C 2 - A 3 - B 4 - D 5 - E

• A floodplain  is the area that may be covered by river water during a flood.
• Afforestation (A) involves planting trees to help manage water flow and reduce flooding.
• Embankments (B) are built to contain rivers and prevent flooding.
• The Environment Agency (D) monitors weather conditions to predict and manage floods.
• Urbanization (E) often leads to more impermeable surfaces, contributing to increased runoff and flood risk.