Urbanization Fuels Flood Risks: Impervious Surfaces Surge Runoff and Peak Discharge
Urban development increases the amount of paved surfaces, which leads to more rainwater running off instead of soaking into the ground. A study on Golok River Basin used computer models to predict how this affects peak water flow and runoff volume. By analyzing historical data, the models accurately estimated these values for different levels of paved surfaces. The results showed that as the amount of paved surfaces increased, both peak water flow and runoff volume also increased. This suggests that urbanization can significantly impact the flow of water in rivers.