Final answer:
The course covers five flood hazards: coastal, river, flash, urban flooding, and dam failure. These are exacerbated by extreme weather events and have significant environmental and infrastructural impacts. Flood recurrence intervals are essential for risk management.
Step-by-step explanation:
The course in question appears to cover various types of flood hazards that are becoming increasingly significant due to the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. These hazards are:
- Coastal flooding, which is often due to sea-level rise or storm surges.
- River flooding, typically occurring when water levels rise above the river banks.
- Flash flooding, which can be the result of heavy rainfall, particularly in areas like the Southern United States.
- Urban flooding, exacerbated by the inability of urban infrastructure to cope with heavy precipitation events.
- Dam failure, an infrequent but potentially catastrophic event that releases large quantities of water.
For example, flooding events have increased over the past decades, impacting both human settlements and agriculture. Processes leading to flooding could be natural, like the evolution of stream channels, or human-induced, such as environmental degradation. The importance of understanding and calculating flood recurrence intervals is critical for managing flood risks and developing infrastructure accordingly.