Soft Engineering

Created by: Ruby Porter
Created on: 30-01-13 19:29


	Soft Engineering
	Advantages Sustianable Relatively cheap (in comparison with hard engineering options) Afforestation is environmentally friendly Flood plain zoning uses the land effectively Requires less maintenance (than hard engineering) Athetically pleasing Doesn't harm wildlife habitats 'Do nothing' option is cheap, allows natural floods creating fertile soils	Disadvantages Can be less effective than hard engineering Takes time (e.g to allow trees to grow) Comminities may already have build houses so flood plain zoning can't be done. Land may be valuable for building on rather than leaving for agriculture (Flood plain zoning) 'Do nothing' option can put lives at risk and doesn't actually reduce the risk of flooding.
	Evaluation There are many types of soft engineering methods, for instance: Flood plain zoning, Afforestation, Do nothing, Flood prediction/warning. Overall I think the advantages outweigh the disadnatages as soft engineering is an effective in preventing floods. Sustainable options, such as Afforestation, as a method to prevent floods far outweights the cost needed to plant the trees. Although some methods may not be suitable and are time consuming, soft engineering methods are visually pleasing and environmentally friendly.

Soft Engineering

Advantages

Sustianable
Relatively cheap (in comparison with hard engineering options)
Afforestation is environmentally friendly
Flood plain zoning uses the land effectively
Requires less maintenance (than hard engineering)
Athetically pleasing
Doesn't harm wildlife habitats
'Do nothing' option is cheap, allows natural floods creating fertile soils

Disadvantages

Can be less effective than hard engineering
Takes time (e.g to allow trees to grow)
Comminities may already have build houses so flood plain zoning can't be done.
Land may be valuable for building on rather than leaving for agriculture (Flood plain zoning)
'Do nothing' option can put lives at risk and doesn't actually reduce the risk of flooding.

Evaluation

There are many types of soft engineering methods, for instance: Flood plain zoning, Afforestation, Do nothing, Flood prediction/warning.
Overall I think the advantages outweigh the disadnatages as soft engineering is an effective in preventing floods. Sustainable options, such as Afforestation, as a method to prevent floods far outweights the cost needed to plant the trees. Although some methods may not be suitable and are time consuming, soft engineering methods are visually pleasing and environmentally friendly.

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Soft Engineering