1. ACTIVITY WORKBOOK Floodcom Education Workshop Name: Date: 1953
Water Cycle
1953
Defences
Flood Detective
ACTIVITY
WORKBOOK
Name:
Date:

2. Contents What do I know about flooding? 3
What do I want to know about flooding? 4
What we will find out about flooding 5
Water cycle words 6
The water cycle 7
Water cycle cloud crossword 8
What is a flood? 9
Types of floods
Case studies
Impacts of flooding
Flood wordsearch
Flood protection / defences
Floodcom
Flood detective
Super flood detective puzzle
Geocaching
Geocoins
Review
Homework

3. What do I know about flooding?

4. What do I want to find out about flooding?
My Key Question:

5. What we will find out about flooding
Types of floods
Why floods
happen
Where
floods
have happened
Who is
affected
What we will find out about flooding
What happens
in other
countries
Flood
defences
Where to find
out information

6. Water Cycle Words Use the bold words to label the diagram of
the water cycle on
the next page.
The heat of the sun causes evaporation of water from the sea, rivers and lakes.
Water vapour forms in the atmosphere.
Condensation of the water vapour produces clouds.
The clouds are moved by the wind.
Precipitation falls from the clouds in the form of rain, hail, snow, fog and mist.
There is a collection of the precipitation that falls in rivers, lakes and sea.

7. The Water Cycle

8. Water Cycle Cloud Crossword
Clues
Across
Down
2. Another name for rain.
1. How water from lakes, rivers and oceans get into the air.
6. When water goes back into lakes and rivers.
3. Large flowing bodies of water.
7. Condensation of water onto ground surfaces such as leaves or cars.
4. Water vapour in the air gets cold and changes back into liquid.
8. The ______ heats up the earth.
5. Over 70% of the earth’s surface.
9. The layer of gases surrounding earth and held there by gravity.
10. This blows.
11. Formed when water vapour in the air joins together.

9. What is a Flood?
A flood is when water covers land that is not normally covered.
Flooding is a natural event.
Climate change means that we may see more floods in the future.
What is climate change?
Land and property need to be protected against flooding.
Flood awareness is needed to know
what to do in the event of a flood.

10. Types of Floods Reservoir Coastal Pluvial Groundwater Fluvial
Can you match the type of flood to the picture?
Reservoir
Coastal
Pluvial
Groundwater
Fluvial

11. Case Studies
There have been some very serious floods that have affected us in the UK and abroad and very recently in the local area.
Case studies help us to find out about these floods by giving us information on what has taken place.
Using pictures, news articles, online information and short videos you can find out where and when the flooding happened, what is happening, what type of flood this is and why it happened.
You will also find out about the effect of this flooding on people, homes, animals, the environment and business and services.

12. Case Study Name of event: Where did this happen? What is happening?
When did this happen?
Notes

13. What type(s) of flooding happened?
Case Study
What type(s) of flooding happened?
Coastal
Fluvial
Pluvial
Reservoir
Groundwater
Other
Why did this happen?

14. Impacts of Flooding on…
People
Homes
Animals
The Environment
Business and Services

15. Flood Wordsearch Words to find Awareness Coastal Defence Drain
Flash flood
Fluvial
Pluvial
Rainfall
Reservoir
Risk
Rivers
Surface water
Tidal
Water levels

16. Flood Protection & Defences
Because we can’t change the weather, we have to protect against flooding by having defences of different shapes,
sizes and cost.
Flood defences can range from items bought by the general public to protect their homes to national projects paid for by the government to protect whole regions.
The more risk there is of a flood happening in a local or regional area, the more defences are needed.
Most defences are built and some can even make use of the geography of the local area.
As well as built defences, it is important to have a good
early warning system in place. Local and regional weather information can be used to let the public know when flooding
is a risk.
Some areas have a flood siren to warn residents.
Sandbags and Flood Boards
These can be used by home and business owners to keep water out during a flood.
Sandbags can be piled on top of each other to make a wall that keeps the water out and are not very expensive to buy unless you need a lot! Flood boards are placed in front of doors, garages and windows to keep the water out and can also be made to measure for properties that regularly flood.

17. Flood Protection & Defences
Ditches and Dykes
Ditches and dykes can make use of natural features of an area or can be built to protect the local area.
Ditches are low and are used to drain water from roads and fields or to channel water somewhere else.
Dykes are high and are used to keep the flood water in and away from roads, fields and properties.
Management and Upkeep
The Environment Agency carry out works to
keep the rivers in good condition.
This includes cutting back dead or dying trees, taking out reeds and weeds and taking out any objects that might block the river.
Sometimes heavy machines are needed to dredge the rivers and this can be costly.
Drainage
Water that falls as rain has to go somewhere!
Gutters collect rainwater from the streets and take it into storm drains.
When new buildings and streets are being built, it is important to include proper drainage. Old drains may also need to be replaced.

18. Flood Protection & Defences
Channels
Engineers can build water channels to change the way a river behaves. The rivers can be made straight, curved or even have channels added to them.
Overflow channels can take the extra water out of a river during a flood and send it elsewhere. Diversion channels (floodways) are made to divert the water away from the river or flood area.
Water Storage & Flood Plains
These can make use of the natural features of
the local area to hold water during flooding and
keep it from streets and houses.
Water retention basins are usually made
upstream and hold the extra water from heavy rainfall.
Flood plains are areas near the rivers which take in the water from a flood.
Structures
Structures are made to protect people, homes, streets and countryside from the water from the sea and rivers. They can be very expensive and take a long time to build.
These include dams and barriers to keep water back, sea walls to stop high tides, groynes to protect the coastline, breakwaters to protect harbours and flood walls to keep rivers in.

19. Flood Protection & Defences
Pumping Stations
These are buildings that have pumps and equipment to move water from one place to another. They can be quite complicated and expensive to build and take care of.
Pumping stations can move extra water that doesn’t drain naturally and help prevent flooding. This is needed when the area is below sea level and the water has to go upstream or against the natural flow.
Tidal Barriers
These barriers usually protect against storm surges and they can be built across rivers or estuaries to hold back flood waters or high tides.
The Thames Barrier is built on the River Thames in London and cost £535 million. It is 520 metres wide and holds back high tides from the North Sea.
If you live in a flood risk area you should prepare a Flood Plan. This is a plan of action, contact numbers, information, and a Flood Pack of emergency equipment such as flashlights, so you are prepared in the event of receiving a flood warning.
Do you know what happens in your local area?

20. Draw and label the types of defences planned.
Floodcom Projects
The project is across 4 locations in Europe – can you find out about each scheme using the website?
Draw and label the types of defences planned.
ANTWERP
BREDA

21. Do you know about any other flood defences
Floodcom Projects
CHELMSFORD
ST.OMER
Well done!
Do you know about any other flood defences
around the world?

22. Flood Detective The Boss needs some new local flood detectives…
Can you do the job?
Complete the levels to find out about flooding in
your local area to get your badge!
Make any notes here

23. Super Flood Detective Puzzle
Now that you’re a flood detective, you may like to investigate another case...
Floody is looking for a compass to get home.
Can you use the clues to help find the one that works?
Floody is starting at I6
Go North by the number of clouds shown in the water cycle picture, the compass you pass isn’t the right one.
Travel West by the number of down clues in the water cycle crossword
Look South – this is NOT the right compass
Jump up North by a square
Move West using the following sum: (16/2) – 6 =
Look West – this is NOT the right compass
Travel South by the number of flood types you matched earlier in the workbook. This is the compass! A B C D E F G H I 1 2 3 4 5 6

24. Geocaching What is Geocaching? What do I find? Are there any rules?
Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game
using GPS (Global Positioning System) devices such as
phones and tablets. Players navigate to a specific set of
GPS co-ordinates and then try to find the cache
(container) hidden at that location.
Location co-ordinates are normally given in latitude and longitude. Some games will have clues or puzzles to solve so that you can reach your next location.
Geocaching can also be played using a map and a compass.
What do I find?
It depends on the geocache. Sometimes there is a log
(notebook) where you can put your name and the date
that you found the cache, sometimes there is a box
which contains treasure! This could be a geocoin,
a token or something that was left by the last finder.
Geocaches vary greatly in size and appearance. In the
field you will see everything from large, clear or camouflaged plastic containers to film canisters to a fake rock with a secret compartment.
Are there any rules?
Yes! Not many but they are very important.
Respect the area you are geocaching in.
After you find the cache please put it back in the same place.
If you take something from the cache, leave something else of equal or greater value.
Please do not put food, sharp objects or scented items in a cache.
Write about your find in the cache logbook.

25. Geocaching Geocoins Floodcom geocaching activity More geocaching
A Geocoin is a special coin created by individuals or
groups of geocachers as a kind of signature item or
calling card.
Some geocoins are trackable, which means that they have a serial number on them which is activated through a website. Other coins are plain. Coins can either be kept or moved on to other caches, it all depends on any instructions that have been left.
You will get a chance to design the geocoin picture for your location.
The winning design will be made and you will have one to keep too 
Floodcom geocaching activity
There will be a geocaching activity for your class
in your local area to show you the planned site
of the Floodcom project.
This will involve clues and puzzles using all the learning that you’ve done in this workbook.
Your teacher will tell you more nearer the time.
More geocaching
Lots of geocaching activities are available in your local area – they can be found on
Be safe, always go in groups (including an adult) and respect the rules.
Remember to take some treasure with you to replace any that you find.
Enjoy!

26. Submit your winning design at Designs can be made online or uploaded
Geocoins
Can you design a geocoin?
Every local area involved in the Floodcom project will have a special picture on the front of their own coin. You are the designers and the best picture will be put onto a small coin the size of a £1. The coin will have a hole at the top and can be used as a keyring, a medal or a trolley token.
What do you think a good picture is for your local area? Have a go……
Submit your winning design at
Designs can be made online or uploaded

27. Review What new information have I learnt? My new skills
What I enjoyed the most
Was anything difficult? Would I do anything differently next time?
What was the answer to my key question?

28. MISSION Homework The Boss needs has one last request for the
new flood detectives…
This is one for taking home!
Your teacher will give you a secret mission card to complete.
MISSION

29. This workbook has been developed by Hazel Newton, Essex County Council as part of the Floodcom cross border project.
2014
This workbook reflects the author’s views. The INTERREG IVA Seas Programme Authoritites are not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.