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Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can explain why people have different views about flood protection and evaluate which locations are most likely to receive protection.

Key learning points

  1. People have a variety of opinions on river management.
  2. Building flood protection can increase flood risk downstream.
  3. Areas of high economic value are more likely to receive funding for flood protection.
  4. Slow the flow techniques are increasingly used to prevent flooding.

Keywords

  • Stakeholder - any individual, group, or organisation that has an interest or concern in a particular geographical area, issue, or project

  • Slow the flow - methods used to manage flood risk by reducing the speed and volume of water entering rivers in the upper catchment

  • Cost benefit analysis - a decision-making tool that compares the cost of flood defenses with the economic value of what’s being protected

Common misconception

Only governments help make decisions on where flood protection is used.

Many stakeholders are invloved in making decisions on flood defences.

Teacher tip

When students are making a decision on what flood defence should be used, ask them to consider the view points of different stakeholders.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
What is erosion in a river?

The process of adding more water
Correct answer: The wearing away of rock and soil by the river
The river getting deeper during floods
Water being stored in the river

Q2.
What does a river do with eroded material?

It buries it in the ground
It eats it
Correct answer: It transports it downstream
It melts it

Q3.
What is deposition in a river?

When the river carries more water
Correct answer: When material is dropped by the river
When rocks are frozen
When a new river is formed

Q4.
What landform is often created by river deposition?

A mountain
A meander
Correct answer: A delta
A volcano

Q5.
What feature forms where a river bends?

Waterfall
Correct answer: Meander
Cliff
Crater

Q6.
How do waterfalls form?

When rivers freeze
When there’s no rain
When people build dams
Correct answer: When a river flows over soft and hard rock

4 Questions

Q1.
What is a stakeholder?

A person who catches fish
Correct answer: A group with an interest in a geographical issue
A flood warning system
A type of river channel

Q2.
What does ‘slow the flow’ aim to do?

Make rivers deeper
Stop rainfall
Correct answer: Reduce flood risk by slowing water entry
Build dams in every catchment

Q3.
What does a cost benefit analysis compare?

River lengths
Tree types
Correct answer: Costs of flood defences vs. value of what they protect
The weather in summer and winter

Q4.
Which of the following best describes who is involved in deciding where flood protection is used?

Only government officials
Correct answer: Local communities, businesses, and government groups
Only engineers
Just emergency services

To help you plan your 9 geography lesson on: Planning river management, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...