Geology in Motion: The Effects of Warfare on Geology - Part 2: Flooding

Local and regional geology has influenced military conflict and operations for millennia. Military strategists often pursue the high ground, and seek to use the terrain to their advantage. Drilling effective water wells and finding suitable building materials are also key components of leveraging geology for military purposes. In addition, many wars have been fought over geologic resources such as fuel, precious metals, and even the land itself. For this series of articles we are focusing on the effects of warfare on the terrain itself. Previously we looked at the scars of bombing left on the landscape, and now we look at examples of strategic flooding. These floods might not preserve an obvious mark on the rock record into the future, but these were catastrophic geologic events that were made possible by the geologic features of the battleground, and were life altering (or life ending) for the locals who were caught in the floods’ path.