What effect does development and clear cutting have on flooding?
In areas that are clear cut or covered by impervious surfaces the volume of runoff tends to be larger and the peak of the runoff is higher and occurs more quickly than would be the case in a totally natural basin. The effect is proportionally greater in small to medium size flood events. In severe flood events such as occurred in November 1995 and February 1996 rainfall is so intense that all portions of the basin tend to contribute runoff regardless of the level of development, so the percentage of increase in runoff attributable to development is reduced.
