Which mechanism causes increased flood frequency in populated regions near alluvial fans after prolonged drought?

💡 Explanation

After drought, decreased infiltration due to hardened/compacted soils in alluvial fans results in reduced soil stability because fine sediment binding collapses, leading increased surface runoff during subsequent rain events, thereby enhancing flooding. Therefore, decreased infilitration results, not increased evaporation/roughness or changes in river channel volume which require other factors.

• Which risk increases for coastal fisheries in the eastern Pacific Ocean when El Niño suppresses upwelling?
• Which process primarily regulates water temperature within an ocean gyre's core?
• Which process initiates the formation of an alluvial fan deposit in arid regions?
• Which process increases surface salinity where descending limbs of Hadley cells dominate?
• Which process initiates headwall erosion to form distinct glacial cirques given seasonal freeze-thaw cycles?
• Which outcome results from unchecked agricultural soil deflation?