The River Brue Casestudy

Flashcards covering key concepts related to the River Brue, the carbon and water cycles, flood management strategies, and the impacts of flooding.

The River Brue is located southeast of __, England.

Bristol

The Brue’s catchment area is approximately ____km², including both rural, agricultural and urban land.

140

The source of the river brue is in ____, and its source is Burnham-on-sea, where it discharges into the bristol channel.

Bruton

The River Brue is approximately __ miles long.

30

The average precipitation in the Brue catchment is around __ mm/year.

1000

In areas of high ground, precipitation can reach __ mm/year.

2000

The main soil types in the Brue catchment include clay, silt, and __.

peat

Peat takes 1000’s of years to form and needs waterlogged, _______ conditions.

anerobic

Peatlands can store ___ tonnes of CO2 per hectare per year.

3 to 4

Approximately __-__% of peat’s weight is stored carbon

50-70

If peat is disturbed/extracted, it turns from a carbon _____ to a carbon source.

sink

On average, the extraction of 1tonne of peat releases __ tonnes of atmospheric co2

1.6

Heavy machinery and fertilisers used in agriculture greatly influence ____ ________ in the catchment area.

carbon fluxes

The River Brue has a history of mass peat extraction, resulting in many areas being ___ __ level.

below sea

The Brue has one of the largest ____ ranges in the world, increasing flood risk, because the lowest lying areas of the river sit between high and low tide. As a result it is prevented from draining at certain times of day.

tidal

The Brue is a deciduous ecosystem, and therefore its interception stores and rate of ________ vary between seasons.

evapo-transpiration

__-__% of the catchment area has some form of vegetation cover

60-70

The economic cost of powering emergency pumps can exceed __ per week.

£200,000

Social impacts of flooding include how many rural communities become cut off by road. E.G _______ just south of Langport.

Muchelny

Flooding also effects the environment; for example, flooding endangers the lives of wildlife and _______, so the are often evacuated.

livestock

Floods also leave large areas of grass waterlogged, decreasing their _______ capability.

photosynthetic

Land use in the Brue Basin also has an effect on the w/c and c/c including urban areas, agriculture and water _______ _____.

leisure activities

Afforestation schemes aim to reduce flooding by increasing __ stores.

interception

A named example of an afforestation scheme in the catchment area is ‘slow the flow’ in Illminster, which has created over __ acres of broadleaf woodland

10

Washlands are designed to allow certain areas to __ at specific times of the year to avoid flooding elsewhere.

flood

An example of a washland in the catchment area is ‘____ _______ ____’ and can store up to 1.2 million m³ of water.

South lake moor

Dredging is a method used in flood management to increase _____ ________, to reduce local flood risk

river capacity

Flood relief channels and __ are types of structures used for managing floods.

tidal barriers

increasing property flood resilience is a form of ________ which allows swift and safe return after flooding events

adaption