Reading Assessment For Chapter 6

25 July 2022
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question
Which of the following is NOT an example of a base level for a river?
answer
Rapids
question
Where does a meandering river run the fastest?
answer
On the outside of a bend
question
Where on a river would you most likely find cutbanks and why?
answer
On the outside of a bend because that is where the river erodes most.
question
Which of the following has the LEAST effect on flood damage? Assume that a moderate amount of development is available for flood damage.
answer
Geographic region
question
Which rivers have the highest gradient?
answer
Rivers moving down mountains
question
Which statement is FALSE about the effects that floods can have?
answer
Flooding has no positive effects; it is always bad for human interests.
question
Does channelization of a stream completely prevent flooding?
answer
No. Nothing can prevent flooding.
question
Which of the following will tend to REDUCE the size of a river flood?
answer
High rate at which the precipitation soaks into the ground
question
What is the stage of a river?
answer
Height of water that is flowing
question
In which cycle do rivers NOT play an important role?
answer
tectonic cycle
question
Choose the best answer. Which would increase during a flood, discharge or velocity?
answer
Both discharge and velocity will increase because there is more water flowing and it is flowing faster.
question
Which of the following loads would make a river appear murky or dirty?
answer
Suspended load
question
What is avulsion?
answer
A river shifts its position after a flood.
question
In which of the following environments are flash floods LEAST common?
answer
Humid environments with large meandering rivers
question
If you were running water through a hose, how would you increase the discharge of water coming from the hose?
answer
Turn up the water at the faucet.
question
During a flood, the safest place to be is behind a levee or floodwall.
answer
False
question
Hydrographs are used to show the amount of water in the hydrologic cycle.
answer
False
question
Channelization is one of the more drastic solutions to flooding because it can cause the draining of wetlands, which can have a negative impact on the wildlife.
answer
True
question
Paving over land decreases the amount of flooding because water can't soak into the soil.
answer
False
question
After a flood, you should be sure to wash anything that has been in touch with river water.
answer
True
question
Which of the following natural hazards is the number 1 disaster in the United States in terms of lives lost over the past century?
answer
Floods
question
Which of the following loads are most likely to consist of heavy rocks and boulders?
answer
Bed load
question
Which of the following is NOT an example of how urbanization influences a river or stream?
answer
Urbanization increases rainstorm frequency and therefore increases the frequency of floods.
question
What is the role of a drainage basin?
answer
A drainage basin is the area drained by a river and all of its tributaries.
question
Which of the following is NOT information that can be obtained by calculation of a recurrence interval for a flood?
answer
Time of day when the maximum floodwaters will occur during a flood event
question
Does it have to be raining for a river to flood?
answer
No. Rivers can flood after rain has stopped and tributaries have flowed into bigger streams.
question
What should you do during a flood?
answer
Move to higher ground away from the river.
question
If you dip a glass of water into a river and passed the water through a very fine sieve that blocked all sediment grains from passing through, what will you be left with?
answer
Dissolved load
question
Which of the following adverse effects of natural hazards is NOT associated with flooding?
answer
Land upheaval
question
The gradient of streams is higher at headwaters than at the mouth of a river.
answer
True
question
Rivers normally stay in a state of dynamic equilibrium between their flow velocity, their gradient, and their cross-sectional area.
answer
True
question
What is the floodplain?
answer
A flat area next to the river carved out by the rivers
question
How would the hydrograph of a large rainstorm change after urbanization of an area?
answer
The peak of the hydrograph would become higher and narrower.
question
What happens to rivers when they reach their base level?
answer
They often form alluvial fans or deltas.
question
The bed load of a stream is involves the largest grains in the stream.
answer
True
question
If you live on the 100 year floodplain, it means that you are guaranteed to have one large flood once every 100 years.
answer
False
question
A river in flood stage can erode and transport more sediment than the same river in normal flow.
answer
True
question
Tributaries are smaller streams which drain into larger rivers.
answer
True
question
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?
answer
They are levees and they hold in floodwaters.
question
Insurance and building codes are two important ways that the government can protect property from disaster in a flood.
answer
True
question
Flash floods are most common on the floodplains of large meandering rivers.
answer
False
question
Which of the following are things that you should NOT do in preparing for a flood?
answer
Make a flood kit and place it in your basement.
question
How would a river in an area changed from forest to farmland react to changes?
answer
Increased amounts of sediment would increase the gradient of the stream.
question
In which of the following cases would you expect the LEAST amount of flooding due to a rainstorm? Assume all areas receive similar amounts of rainfall in the rainstorm and there are no flood control measures in any of the areas.
answer
A long duration rainstorm falling on an area that consists of forest, grasslands, and no human development.
question
What two parameters are plotted in a hydrograph?
answer
Discharge vs. time
question
Construction of levees can actually make floods worse in areas upstream and downstream from the construction.
answer
True
question
The longitudinal profile of most streams is an upwardly curving line.
answer
False
question
What would the longitudinal profile of a river flowing from a gentle valley into an ocean look like?
answer
A gently downward sloping line
question
Where on a river would you most likely find point bars?
answer
On the inside of a bend
question
What distinguishes flash floods from downstream floods?
answer
Flash floods occur in the upper part of a drainage basin, downstream floods occur in the lower part of a drainage basin.
question
What is a hydrograph NOT able to tell you about a river?
answer
The amount of rainfall an area receives
question
An alluvial fan can be found at the base level of rivers.
answer
True
question
One of the benefits of flooding is deposition of fertile soil.
answer
True
question
If the discharge of a river is constant and the river channel suddenly widens, then the velocity of the river will decrease.
answer
False
question
What is the greatest hazard to people in a flash flood?
answer
People driving into floods and being carried away
question
Living near a dam is very safe because you will never have to worry about flooding.
answer
False
question
Flash floods are usually of short duration and therefore not very dangerous.
answer
False
question
Which homes built on the floodplain are most likely to sustain the greatest damage?
answer
Houses within the 20 year floodplain.
question
At a river meander, erosion occurs on the outside part of the bend, and deposition occurs on the inside part of the bend.
answer
True
question
A narrow river usually runs faster than a wider one.
answer
True