Which mechanism significantly increases flood risk in an alluvial river system after deforestation in the upstream drainage basin?

💡 Explanation

When forests are removed, increased erosion occurs because root systems no longer stabilize the soil, leading to greater sediment loads carried downstream, causing channel aggradation raising the riverbed. Therefore, increased sediment load causes channel aggradation rather than reduced sinuosity, decreased river discharge, or minimized surface runoff, which require different conditions.

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