Floods, Dams, and Levees

Floods, Dams, and Levees — page 1
CHAPTER ONE What Is a Flood Water is one of the most powerful forces on Earth When water is controlled it can help people in many ways Water can move machinery and create energy It can move boats and barges carrying people and goods all over the world People could not survive without water to drink and to nourish plants and animals Sometimes however water gets out of control When this happens an area can suffer a flood A flood occurs when water covers an area that is usually dry Most floods happen naturally A river lake or other body of water may overflow because of too much rain or melting snow Or a bad storm can dump several inches of rain on an area filling streets and homes and causing waterways to spill over 4