Flood Frequency and Risk Assessment

• Be able to define river stage
• Be able to describe recurrence interval in your own words, and relate it to the probability of a particular level of flooding
• Be able to describe how recurrence interval is determined, including what data are necessary to calculate it
• Be able to explain why it is difficult to make long-term predictions of large-scale disasters
• Know how often, on average, a typical river (like the Des Moines) overtops its banks
• Be able to describe some of the problems associated with flooding of the Des Moines River

This activity was designed to be started in a laboratory period and completed outside of class to be turned in the following week. Students work in groups and turn in one set of products.

To do the lab as written, you need data on the Des Moines River. Alternatively, it would be fairly easy to adapt to a different river, as long as the USGS has a gaging station there.

It is necessary to obtain topographic maps and profiles of the Des Moines River around Des Moines, IA. Basic tools are also needed and are listed on the first page of the Activity Sheet.