Glossary
A to Z
- Asset- Any item which carries value and can be negatively or positively affected by flooding
- Blog-post- Platform where an author shares their personal views on an individual subject
- Capacity- The ability, capability or fitness to do something
- Coastal Flooding-The inundation of land areas along the coast caused by sea water above normal tidal actions.
- Consequence- A result or effect, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant
- Drainage- Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of a surface’s water and sub-surface water from an area with excess of water.
- Emergency- a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property, or environment.
- Emergency Flood Kit- A box or bag containing basic supplies for survival during and immediately following a flood event.
- Exposure- the presence of human or environmental assets and services that could be adversely affected.
- First Responder- a person (such as a police officer or an EMT) who is among those responsible for going immediately to the scene of an accident or emergency to provide assistance
- Flood Alert System-A flood alert or flood warning system is a way of detecting threatening events in advance and communicating this information to the public so that actions can be taken to reduce the adverse effects of the event. As such, the primary objective of a flood warning system is to reduce exposure to flooding and enable persons to implement any resilience and resistance measures necessary.
- Flood Annual Probability- the measure of the chance of flooding occurring in a location over the course of one year.
- Flood Emergency Plan- Plan prepared well in advance of a flood event containing steps for immediate flood response
- Flood Event- An accumulation or an overflow of an expanse of water that covers or inundates land that is usually dry.
- Flood Frequency- The measure of how often a flood event of a specific magnitude will occur
- Flood Magnitude- How large a flood is- measured by discharge, duration and depth.
- Flood Prevention- Measures (typically structural) which can be taken to reduce the impact of flooding and to protect property and land.
- Flood Recovery- Actions taken in the aftermath of a flood event to bring conditions back to an acceptable, equivalent or improved state.
- Flood Resilience- Actions taken which allow the entry of flood water through a property, but which enable swift recovery after the flood event.
- Flood Resistance- Actions taken to prevent the entry of flood water to a property
- Flood Risk Management- an approach intended to reduce the likelihood and/or the impact of floods.
- Flood Vulnerability- function of our exposure to flooding (the presence of human or environmental assets and services that could be adversely affected), our susceptibility (the physical characteristics which make an area likely to flood), and our resilience capacity (the ability to prepare for, react to and recover quickly from the damaging effect of realised hazards).
- Flood Weather Alerts- a system of communicating real time flood hazard information to the public in order to spur action and reduce flood impact.
- Fluvial Flooding- See Riverine Flooding
- Humidity- the concentration of water vapour present in the air. Can be a major factor for mold and mildew growth.
- Infiltration- the process by which a liquid permeates into something by filtration e.g.
a) water on the ground surface entering the soil b) flood-water entering homes and items within - Land Use- the purpose to which an area of land is committed
- Mold and Mildew- fungal organisms which thrive in a moist environment and which can damage material and cause health problems
- Onset Time- the time taken for a flood to occur after a flood weather/rainfall event
- Pluvial Flooding- also called surface water flooding. Flooding which occurs when heavy rainfall creates a flood event independent of an overflowing water body.
- Recovery- the act of restoration to either a previous or better state or condition.
- Resilience Capacity- the ability to prepare for, react to, and recover quickly from the damaging effect of realized hazards
- Response- the immediate actions taken during a flood event to reduce vulnerability and exposure to the event, and maintain an adequate quality of life for an individual and their loved ones.
- Risk- the product of the vulnerability to flooding multiplied by the total value of the assets at risk to flooding
- River Bank- that land area immediately adjacent to and which slope toward the bed of a watercourse.
- Riverine Flooding- also referred to as Fluvial flooding. Occurs when excessive rainfall over an extended period of time cause a river to exceed its capacity.
- Sandbags- A sandbag is a sack made and filled by various materials which is used for the control of flood-water infiltration.
- Sea Level Rise- Sea levels are highly variable over periods ranging from seconds to decades. Sea-level rise is the rising trend averaged over longer periods.
- Stakeholder- a person, group or organization that has interest or concern in an organization
- Storm Surge- Storm surge is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tides. Storm surge is produced by water being pushed toward the shore by the force of the winds moving cyclonically around the storm. The impact on surge of the low pressure associated with intense storms is minimal in comparison to the water being forced toward the shore by the wind.
- Subside- when water returns to it’s a lower or normal level
- Susceptibility- the likelihood of a dangerous event occurring in an area on the basis of local terrain conditions
- Ventilate- to introduce and circulate fresh air removing contaminants within
- Vulnerability- a function of our exposure to flooding, our susceptibility and our resilience capacity.
- Waterproof/Watertight- made with material/s and closely sealed, fastened or fitted which render the product impervious to or unaffected by water.