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Clark County Regional Flood Control District 600 South Grand Central Pkwy. Suite 300 Las Vegas, NV 89106
Flood Facts for Puddle Jumpers A Guide for Elementary Students Concerning Flood Safety Teacher’s Evaluation
We would like to know your opinion about the Flood Safety instructional material and Desert Floods video. Please complete the following evaluation form, fold in half and mail.
School ______Number of students in your class ______Grade level you teach ______
Did you find the Flash Flood Safety material sufficient to help students understand the dangers of intense rainstorms? ■ YES ■ NO
Do you believe, as a result of this information, that your students will be deterred from playing in flood waters and/or flood control facilities? ■ YES ■ NO ■ DON’T KNOW
Do you believe your students spoke with their family members about the dangers of driving through flooded areas and cautioned them to make good decisions? ■ YES ■ NO ■ DON’T KNOW
Have you or your family watched The Flood Channel program on cable channels 2 or 4? ■ YES ■ NO
Are there any improvements you would recommend that would make the Flood Safety instructional material and video more helpful/useful? ■ YES ■ NO Comments:______Elementary Teacher Resource Information Flash Flood Safety
The Flood Channel – a 30-minute educational television program that focuses on flood safety airs July 2004 on cable channels 2 and 4. Background Information about Flash Flooding Introduction ecorded reports of flooding in Clark ith more than 6,000 County date back almost 100 years. new residents moving RWhile floods can and have occurred in Wto Southern Nevada almost every month of the year, the most every month, many of them damaging storms typically occur between are unaware of the dangers of July and September. During these hot flash flooding. The Regional summer months, moist unstable air from Flood Control District conducts the Gulf of Mexico is rapidly forced upward an annual Flood Safety by hot air currents. The dynamics of this Advertising Campaign to process often result in spectacular displays educate residents about the of lightening in the desert sky. Too often, intensity of summer they also cause severe thunderstorms with rainstorms and the resulting intense rainfall. Steep mountain slopes and flooding that can occur. The armored desert surfaces cause the rainwater District also works to educate to run off rapidly and concentrate in the students about flood safety urbanized areas at lower elevations. by giving presentations in classrooms. This supplemental The drop in elevation from Red Rock Recreation Area to Lake Mead is approximately 2,800 feet, about material was developed for two and one half times as tall as the Stratosphere Tower. Rainwater runs down that slope from the teacher use to assist the west side of the Valley to Lake Mead, traveling at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. In comparison, the District in getting the flood Lazy River at Wet and Wild travels about 3 miles an hour. Children especially need to understand the safety message out to students force of the flood water as it travels through the Valley following a storm. They also need to understand across Clark County. how quickly the water can rise in channels and stormdrains. During the July 1999, 100-year storm, one channel in the Valley went from dry to 7 feet of water in just eight minutes.
The majority of flood deaths occur in vehicles, and most happen when drivers try to navigate through flood water. It is difficult to judge the depth and speed of moving water. One inch of rapidly moving Objective flood water can cause a person to lose control of their vehicle. Water that is two feet deep can float a o teach students the large vehicle, even Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). Children or adults should never try to walk, swim or dangers of flash floods. drive in flood water. TTo deter students from playing in flood control The rule for being safe in a flooding situation is simple: Head for higher ground and stay away from facilities, like channels and flood waters. Get out of areas that are subject to flooding. Do not attempt to cross flooded areas. Be d etention basins, by especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers. You may not be able to see educating them about the how deep the water is or if the road is intact beneath the flood water. Never attempt to drive around power of flood water and the contaminants the flood “Flood Water Ahead” barricades. water contains. A secondary objective is for students to Children should never play around flood water or in flood control facilities like washes, channels, storm deliver a flood safety drains or detention basins. The water can move as fast as 30 miles per hour. It is very easy to be swept message to their family away by the fast moving water. Stormwater runoff is filled with contaminates like oil, pesticides, trash, members about the dangers glass, rocks, and construction materials (nails, wood, wire). It is also filled with bacteria from pet of driving through flooded waste that runs off yards and golf courses. areas. Listen to the radio or television for the latest flash flood information. The Regional Flood Control District’s website, www.ccrfcd.org, also provides current rainfall amounts at more than 100 locations throughout the Valley. The information on the District’s website updates with the click of the refresh button which allows for both science and math lessons during rainstorms. Flash Flood Quiz
CIRCLE THE ANSWER 1. Flash Flood Season is July through September. True False
2. A car is more powerful than flood water. True False Key Terms Flash Flood Season – in 3. Flood water is very clean. True False Clark County, Flash Flood Season is July through September. 4. Channels and detention basins are good places True False to play during a storm. 100-Year Flood – a flood event that has a 1 percent 5. Flood water runs downhill from Red Rock Canyon True False chance of occurring in any to Lake Mead at speeds as fast as 30 miles per hour. given year. It is NOT a storm that might only occur once every 100 years. 6. I can play in flood water if I am a good swimmer. True False Caliche – a layer of hard 7. Flash floods can kill people. True False subsoil or clay; also called desert cement
8. Flood water is polluted with dirt, oil, pesticides True False Channel/Wash – a ditch or and trash. gully where a natural stream of water runs 9. Flash floods can happen anywhere and anytime, True False Flash Flood Watch – not just during Flash Flood Season. indicates that flash flooding is possible 10. Write your own flood safety license plate slogan. Needs to be no more than 7 letters and/or numbers. Flash Flood Warning – indicates that flooding conditions are actually occurring or are imminent
Urban and Small Stream Advisory – indicates that flooding of small streams, streets and low-lying areas, such as underpasses and storm drains, is occurring.
Stormdrain – a flood channel underneath the ground. Stormwater can drop down into the drain through a metal grate beside the curb; helps prevent flooding on streets and neighborhoods. State of Nevada CCSD Curriculum Essentials Framework Grades K-12 Content Standards Health Education tudents will comprehend concepts related to health promotion/disease prevention. t grade levels 1-5, the CEF section focusing on Environmental S Health could include education about environmental safety Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing A (personal safety to avoid flood control facilities) and disease behaviors and reduce health risks. prevention (stormwater pollution/contaminants). 6.0 Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting and decision-making skills to enhance health.
7.0 Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family and community health.
• Have students discuss Using protective gloves, have •Discuss the Valley’s geography. Suggested what precautions students collect a sample of Explain that the west side of Classroom they should take urban runoff (from over the Valley is 2,800 feet higher during a storm. watering lawns) and grow the than the east. When it rains, all Activities: Include a bacteria. Compare the sample the stormwater flows to Lake how the Desert Floods discussion about to bacteria collected from Mead. video. Discuss the lightening. Have playground equipment, Sdangerous things people them include tables, floor, etc. •Discuss the effects of urban should not be doing in the video. precautions their runoff and stormwater pollution parents or family members •Determine the flood dangers in on Lake Mead. Check out the •Discuss a 100-year flood. should take especially the students’ neighborhood. Is www.lvstormwater.com website. Demonstrate the 1 percent concerning driving during the school near a natural wash, Additional information is chance of a storm of this storms. channel or detention basin? available in the Southern magnitude occurring in any Nevada Water Authority’s given year. Use 99 blue marbles •Discuss the differences between •Discuss with students the curriculum, “Water Resource and one red marble. Place them flash floods in arid regions in precautions they should take if Kit.” in a jar. Without looking, have contrast to flooding along the playing in flood control facilities, students choose one marble Mississippi River. like detention basins, that are from the jar. With each pick, increasingly being used for dual students had a one percent •Discuss what type of contaminates purposes like soccer fields and chance of choosing the red students can determine are in baseball fields. Warning signs marble. the stormwater. (Pesticides, around these facilities alert fertilizers, pigeon droppings, pet people to leave the facility in the • Students enjoy telling their waste, motor oil, etc.) Encourage event of a storm. They caution flooding experiences. Have them discussion of ways children and that the facility’s primary use is write a story about a storm. their families can help prevent for flood control. pollution in stormwater and •Discuss Flash Flood Season and urban runoff that flow to Lake • During a storm, have students the reasons summer storms are Mead, our primary source of log onto the Regional Flood more likely to cause flooding in drinking water. (Check cars for Control District’s website, Southern Nevada. Explain that fluid leaks, properly dispose of www.ccrfcd.org, and calculate chemicals like oil, paint, where the most rain is falling while flash flooding is more CONTACT US AT antifreeze, wash cars on the and where it is falling the likely in the hot summer Regional Flood months, historically floods in lawn with biodegradable soap or fastest. Have students track the Control District Clark County can and have use a car wash, clean up after movement of the storm through (702) 455-3139 pets. Report illegal dumping, the Valley. (The District’s occurred in almost every month OUR WEBSITES: of the year. call Clark County Health District website has more than 100 sites – (702)-383-1027). that measure current rainfall.) www.ccrfcd.org www.lvstormwater.com