Flood Relief Channels – Building new artificial channels which are used when a river is close to maximum discharge

To remember the meaning of the term Flood Relief Channels, use the following mnemonic:

She felt a flood of relief (flood relief) when the channel was opened and the water threatening her home receded. 

A flood relief channel takes the pressure off a river's main channel when flooding is likely, thereby reducing flood risk.

For instance, a relief channel might bypass a town or city, so that flooding in the urban area becomes far less likely.

However, it can be difficult to source land for the construction of flood relief channels, and building them is very expensive.