deposition landforms

Question 1

what are the three depositional landforms found in the lower course of a river?

Answer 1

floodplains, levees and estuaries.

Question 2

what are floodplains?

Answer 2

the relatively flat areas of land that form the valley floor each side of a river channel, which are sometimes flooded.

Question 3

what are levees?

Answer 3

embankments of sediment running along the banks of a river.

Question 4

what are estuaries?

Answer 4

tidal mouth of a river where it meets the sea; wide banks of deposited mud are exposed at low tide.

Question 5

what are some characteristics of floodplains, levees and estuaries?

Answer 5

floodplains:
-wide and flat
-layers of alluvium
levees:
-natural embankments
-higher than the adjacent floodplain
-steep sides on the channel side.
estuary
-mud flats or salt marshes
-point where fresh water meets salt water

Question 6

how do estuaries form?

Answer 6

1. estuaries are found at the mouth of a river. here the water is tidal, so water levels rise and fall.
2. during a rising tide, the sea moves up the river.
3. this slows the river, energy is lost.
4. sediment is deposited.
5. at low tide, these deposits are seen where they form mudflats.
6. overtime, they can develop into salt marshes.

Question 7

deposition occurs in estuaries when?

Answer 7

the velocity slows due to rising tide.