how are scientists able to predict floods?

Answer 1

1. They measure rainfall occurring in a watershed and they use weather science to predict how much rainfall might occur in the next few days.
2. They measure rising lake levels, and the amount of water coming down streams and rivers from rain or melting snow.
3. They measure ground saturation to try to determine whether rain will soak into the ground or run off into the rivers.
4. They use math to calculate whether an area can hold all the water coming into it.
5. In the case of New Orleans, everyone knew that it was below sea level and that if the levees broke during a storm surge, the sea would just pore in.

Answer 2

Predicting River Flooding

Floods can be such devastating disasters that anyone can be affected at almost anytime. As we have seen, when water falls on the surface of the Earth, it has to go somewhere. In order to reduce the risk due to floods, three main approaches are taken to flood prediction. Statistical studies can be undertaken to attempt to determine the probability and frequency of high discharges of streams that cause flooding. Floods can be modeled and maps can be made to determine the extent of possible flooding when it occurs in the future. And, since the main causes of flooding are abnormal amounts of rainfall and sudden thawing of snow or ice, storms and snow levels can be monitored to provide short-term flood prediction.

Here are some others:

They measure rising lake levels, and the amount of water coming down streams and rivers from rain or melting snow.

They measure rainfall occurring in a watershed and they use weather science to predict how much rainfall might occur in the next few days.

They measure ground saturation to try to determine whether rain will soak into the ground or run off into the rivers.


Here are som links: http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/geol204/floodhaz.htm

https://www.ga.gov.au/servlet/BigObjFileManager?bigobjid=GA4211

Answer 3

They look at the layers of earth from the past to see when floods happened then and how long between cycles. Also they look at weather for heavy rains, and snow to snow melt.