Structures Withstanding Flooding

A flood can occur when dams or levees break, or when there is heavy rainfall or snow melting quickly. Flash floods occur when heavy rainfall exceeds the ability of the ground to absorb it. Bridges are built to travel over bodies of water during flash flooding. Those bridges need to be built a certain way so further floods will not damage them. 

• What kind of bridges are the most beneficial for withstanding floods?

• What are some different weather conditions that can create dangerous environments?
• How does flooding occur and what can be done to prevent it?
• What areas would be more at risk for flooding and how can those areas be safeguarded?
• What are some things to keep in mind when building a bridge?

Students could:

• Explore different ways that flooding can occur and different preventive measures that are in place to reduce the impacts.
• Explore the effects of the Iowa floods of 2008 (damage and prevention).
• Complete an experiment where they would explore what materials are most absorbent and keep the most water out.
• Build their own bridges with the goal of withstanding a flood. 

• Iowa PBS | Iowa Pathways: Flooding Across Iowa: Video provides an overview of the flooding that impacted Iowa in 2008.
• PBS LearningMedia | ScienceTrek: Dams A dam is a structure that blocks a waterway and allows the water to be used differently. These videos include explanations about how dams protect against flooding.