case study - river exe Flashcards
characteristics of the river exe
upper catchment is 601 km squared
max elevation - 514 m
lowest elevation - 24m
85% of catchment underlain by impermeable rocks - Devonian sandstone
most of the land is agricultural farmland
3% is moor and peat bog
how much water is run off
65%
what type of rock is there and what does it do
Devonian sandstone
impermeable rock reduces percolation
what are two ways the river exe has been managed
construction of wimbleball reservoir
restoration of peatland on the moor
what are the benefits of Wimbleball reservoir
regulates water flow- steady flow all year round
prevents flooding and droughts
what is peat
water and carbon .
water logged moss , vegetation and other plants which absorb and lock away c02
why is peat restoration needed
drainage ditches have been dug on exmoor to drain the ground so it can be used for farming . this releases co2 into the atmosphere and increased water flow into the river exe
what is the exmoor mires project
works to restore peat bogs by blocking drainage ditches with peat blocks.
improvements from the exmoor mires project
more water storage in the upper catchment so less overland flow. increased storage capacity
water quality improved because steady flow of water. less sediments carried into rivers because of slower flow
carbon storage - more carbon is stored.
5 successes from the exmoor mires project
increased water storage
reduced run off
reduced flood risk
improved water quality
increased carbon storage
