Reservoirs can make local flooding worse, says study

Researchers used measurements from several reservoirs,
including this one at Puclaro, northern Chile

Researchers say that large man-made reservoirs can increase the intensity of rainfall and could affect flood defences.

The scientists found that rain patterns around bodies of water in Chile were much higher than in similar areas without them.

This "lake effect" could overwhelm flood defences which are often built without taking it into account.

The study has been accepted for publication in the journal Hydrology.