floodwater
River's angry excess
Floodwater is water that has overflowed its normal boundaries—rivers, lakes, or drainage systems—during a flood.
Usually plural: Floodwaters swept through the downtown area.
The term often appears in warnings about contamination, since floodwaters carry sewage, chemicals, and debris.
Violent rushing flow
- inundationOverwhelming surge of water
- surgeSudden powerful increase
- cascadeSuccessive downward flow
- swollenAbnormally enlarged
engulf · submerge · cloudburst · downpour · monsoon · rainfall · gush · freshet
Exceed capacity and spill
- spilloverExcess that escapes
- breachBreaking of agreement
- overrunSpread throughout uncontrollably
- overbankExceeding riverbank boundaries
upstream · downstream · watershed · runoff · drainage · streamflow · discharge · channel
Removal from danger
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- rescueSave from harm
- damageHarm or impairment
emergency · aftermath · displaced · humanitarian · relief · recovery · losses · devastation
Separating solids from liquids
- sedimentationParticles settling in liquid
- chlorinationDisinfecting with a halogen
- disinfectionEliminating pathogens from surfaces
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
activated carbon · ultraviolet · ozonation · coagulation · flocculation · aeration · decontamination · boil advisory
torrent
Violent rushing flow
- inundationOverwhelming surge of water
- surgeSudden powerful increase
- cascadeSuccessive downward flow
swollen · engulf · submerge · cloudburst · downpour · monsoon · rainfall · gush · freshet · highwater
overflow
Exceed capacity and spill
overbank · upstream · downstream · watershed · runoff · drainage · streamflow · discharge · channel · tributary
evacuation
Removal from danger
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- rescueSave from harm
damage · emergency · aftermath · displaced · humanitarian · relief · recovery · losses · devastation · survivors
filtration
Separating solids from liquids
- sedimentationParticles settling in liquid
- chlorinationDisinfecting with a halogen
- disinfectionEliminating pathogens from surfaces
purification · activated carbon · ultraviolet · ozonation · coagulation · flocculation · aeration · decontamination · boil advisory · potable
- floodsdeluge, flash floods, spring floods, coastal floods, floodplains
- waterocean, river, sea, lake, pond
- floodingmonsoon, deluge, inundation, overflow, storm surge
- water sourcesriver, lake, rain, well, pond
- African wetlandsswamps, floodplains, lagoons, papyrus, reeds
- floodplain featuresalluvium, levee, oxbow lake, delta, bottomland
floodwaterirrigation
Artificial water supply for agriculture
irrigation water · tap water · drinking water · drainage · municipal water
floodwaterdrought
Prolonged water scarcity
water scarcity · aridity · dry spell · desiccation · water shortage
floodwaterdry land
Earth above water
parched earth · desert · dustbowl · scorched earth · cracked soil