In plain English, a flood is an excess of water or mud on land that is normally dry. A flood is a condition that occurs when water overflows the artificial or natural boundaries of a stream, river, or other body of water onto normally dry land. Floods often happen due to heavy rainfall or thawing snow.

When purchasing a house or property, a largely ignored aspect is the ground that the house sits on and the environment surrounding the property. Before choosing an area in which to buy a home, many people inquire about traffic-noise levels, crime rates, quality of schools, and whether the house is under the flight path of a major airport.

Types of flood

Flooding can happen anywhere, at any time, and can be caused by more than just rain. Even if you don't live near a river or creek, different types of flooding May still happen in your area from other causes.

Riverine flooding

In riverine flooding, relatively high water levels overtop the natural or artificial banks of

a stream or river. The nature of riverine flooding can vary significantly in terms of cause, timing and depth between different locations. Coastal rivers with short, steep headwaters often have floods that rise and recede quickly. Inland floods with low gradients have floods that move slowly down the river, sometimes lasting for several months.

Flash flooding

Flash flooding occurs when soil absorption, runoff or drainage cannot adequately disperse intense rainfall, and is usually caused by slow-moving thunderstorms. Flash floods are generally defined as developing in six hours or less from rainfall to the onset of flooding.

Dam failure

Although dam failures are rare, their effects can be significant. In Victoria dam safety is monitored, and warning arrangements are in place to warn downstream residents of potential dam failure threats. Should dam failure occur, significant downstream flooding can involve potentially swift flowing water and high amounts of debris.

Storm surge

Storm surge occurs when sea levels are elevated above the usual tidal limit due to the action of intense low pressure systems over the open ocean. The low pressure causes sea level to rise as there is less air pressing down on the sea. Combined with gale force onshore winds, this can lead to flooding of low-lying coastal land.