Depositional River Landforms Flashcards

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1
Q

Define flood plain

A

They are flat areas of land that flood. It is the wide valley floor on either side of a river that flood. When a river floods onto a flood plain, the water slows down and deposits eroded material. This builds up the flood plain.

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2
Q

Define levees

A

They are natural embankments along the edges of a river

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3
Q

How do levees form?

A

After many floods, the sediment builds up to increase the height of the river banks, meaning that the channel can carry more water (a greater discharge) and flooding is less likely to occur in the future.

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4
Q

Where does the heaviest and lightest material in a levee go?

A

The heaviest material gets deposited closest to the river channel as its gets dropped first. Meanwhile the lightest material gets dropped last so its at the end of an embankment.

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5
Q

Define Delta

A

They are low-lying areas where a river meets the sea or lake.
Delta is a low triangular area of alluvial deposits where a river divides

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6
Q

Explain formation of a delta

A
  1. )Rivers slows down when they meet a sea as the gradient becomes shallower. This causes them to deposit the material the material that they are carrying.
  2. ) If the sea does not wash away the material it builds up and the channel gets blocked, forcing the channel to split up into smaller rivers called distributaries
  3. ) Eventually the material builds up so much that low lying area of land called deltas formed
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7
Q

Define tributary

A

River or stream that flows INTO a larger stream or main river

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8
Q

Define distributary

A

River or stream that branches away and flows OUT of a main stream.

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9
Q

Name the three types of deltas

A

Arcuate, Cuspate and Bird’s foot

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10
Q

Define Arcuate

A

A delta that has a rounded shaped and has a lot of distributaries

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11
Q

Define Cuspate

A

A delta that has a triangular shape and has a few distributaries

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12
Q

Define Bird’s foot

A

A delta that is shaped like a bird’s foot with a section of low lying land sticking out to the side

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13
Q

Through which two process do flood plains form?

A

Deposition and Erosion

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14
Q

Explain formation of flood plain in terms of erosion

A

Erosion removes any interlocking spurs, creating a wide, flat area on either side of the river

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15
Q

Explain formation of flood plain in terms of deposition

A

During a flood, material being carried by the river is deposited (as the river loses its speed and energy to transport material). Over time, the height of the floodplain increases as material is deposited on either side of the river.

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16
Q

What type of material do rivers deposit to make flood plains?

A

Its made up alluvium which is a type of sediment.

17
Q

what are flood plains often used for?

A

Agricultural Land due to its fertility

18
Q

What course do levees, deltas, mudflats and flood plains form ?

A

The lower course

19
Q

Define estuary

A

The open mouth of a river where the river meets the sea. The river here is tidal and when the sea retreats the volume of the water in the estuary is less reduced. When there is less water, the river deposits silt to form MUDFLATS which are an important habitat for wildlife.

20
Q

Define mudflats

A

sheltered coastal areas where mud is deposited by tides or rivers.