Glossary of Flooding Terms

Glossary of Flooding Terms  Compiled by Missouri Coalition for the Environment Table of Contents Terms A-D Terms E-F Terms G-Z Download the PDF version 

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Glossary of Flooding Terms G-Z

Glossary of Flooding Terms G-Z GROUNDWATER RECHARGE – The infiltration of water into the earth. It may increase the total amount of water stored underground or only replenish supplies depleted through pumping or natural discharge. HYDRODYNAMIC LOADS – Forces imposed on structures by floodwaters due to the impact of moving water on the upstream side…

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Glossary of Flooding Terms E-F

Glossary of Flooding Terms E-F THE EMERGENCY PROGRAM – The initial phase of a community’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) if no flood hazard information is available or the community has a Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM), but no Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). A limited amount of flood insurance coverage at…

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Glossary of Flooding Terms A-D

Glossary of Flooding Terms A-D BACKWATER EFFECT – The rise in water surface elevation caused by some obstruction such as a narrow bridge opening, buildings or fill material that limits the area through which the water must flow. Also referred to as “heading up”. BASE FLOOD – A term used in the National Flood Insurance Program…

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From Paris to Missouri: Taking Action on Climate Change

By Tamara Slater, J.D., Harris Institute Fellow, Washington University In the finals weeks of 2015 under the auspices of the UNFCCC, 195 nations adopted a global climate change agreement in Paris, France that has the potential to save humanity from the increasingly devastating impacts of climate change. The so-called Paris Agreement and accompanying decision is…

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