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EFFECTIVENESS & INEFFECTIVENESS OF RIVER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

No. 1 Name of Strategy Re-alignment Why Effective? (i) Straightens river channel increases speed of river wash away sediments that have built up on river bed reduces flooding (ii) Deepens river channel allows river to hold more water reduces flooding Why Ineffective? (i) Increase in speed may result in flooding downstream - because channel downstream may not be realigned - increase in volume of water flowing downstream may cause flooding (ii) Increase in speed river has more energy to carry sediments downstream increases sediments in river downstream/ sea/ ocean less sunlight in the river bed/ seabed affects growth of aquatic/ marine life (iii) Straightening river channel will shorten course of rivers may lead to disappearance of wetlands (eg. swamps and marsh) affect plants and animals living in wetlands 2 Re-sectioning (i) Widens and deepens river channel increases ability of river to hold water reduces flooding (ii) Soil of river banks and bed are replaced with cement and granite less friction between water and river bed and banks increases speed of river allows water to flow away quickly [Similar to 1(i) and (ii) above]

(iii) Lining river banks with concrete destroys the habitats of aquatic plants and animals

Bank protection a) dykes/ artificial levees b) gabions c) revetments

(i) Dykes - walls of sand, stone and concrete are built along rivers - increases capacity of river to hold water reduces flooding

(i) Dykes - continual buildup of sediments on river bed makes river channel shallower dykes have to be re-built higher regularly or sediments have to be dug up and removed from river bed (ii) Dykes/ gabions/ revetments - expensive to build - needs to be rebuilt regularly because of erosion and weathering - not aesthetically pleasing to the eye

(ii) Gabions and revetments - concrete structures built to divert flow of water from river banks to center of channel protects river banks from being eroded by force of running water reduces amount of sediments that flow in river increases capacity of river to hold water reduces flooding 4 Planting vegetation (i) Roots of tree and plants hold soil together protects river banks from erosion reduces amount of sediments being washed into the river channel lowers risk of raising water level reduces flooding (ii) Vegetation slows down rate of surface runoff prevents large amounts of water from entering river at any one time prevents flooding (iii) Vegetation reduces the amount of eroded sediments being transported into river prevents channel from becoming shallower reduces flooding

(i) Planting too much vegetation excessive shade prevents sunlight from reaching river bed kills aquatic plants affects aquatic food chain

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