Enquiry Question 4 Flashcards
Where is the River Wharfe
The River Wharfe starts in the Yorkshire Dales and runs North East of Leeds. It runs into the River Ouse. Source is 310m above sea level and mouth is 5m above sea level.
Waterfall
Linton Falls
A waterfall occurs when more resistant rock is over a layer of less resistant rock
The less resistant rock erodes more easily by abrasion and hydraulic action creating an over hang
Eventually the overhang of more resistant rock collapses and results in further erosion of less resistant rock
The rivers bedload swirls at the foot of the waterfall, eroding the river bed to form a plunge pool
V-Shaped valleys and spurs in the upper course
A rivers discharge is low in the upper course and so it only has enough energy to erode downwards - vertical erosion
The valleys sides are slowly broken down through weathering
The weathered material is transported by gravity towards the river channel, steepening the valley sides
The steep sided and narrow valley shape is then created
Interlocking spurs form where there are more resistant bands of rock, which the river cannot erode
What is a Spur
A piece of land jutting into a river descending from a mountain into a valley
Soil creep
Individual particles of soil move slowly down a slope under the force of gravity. They collect at the bottom of The Valley sides, the river may erode this material.
Slumping
Happens when the bottom of a valley side is eroded by the river. The slop becomes steeper and the material above slides downwards.
Discharge
The volume of water flowing in a river measured in metres cubed per second
Increases downstream because of multiple tributaries joining and the river has become larger
Long profile
Showing the gradient of the river and how this changes with distance from Source
Channel cross profile
Shape of the river channel
Valley cross profile
Shape of the land next to the river
Channel width
Increases downstream as erosion has caused River to widen
Channel depth
Increases downstream as there is more water to erode surrounding material
Velocity
Increases downstream as there is more discharge and the river bed is smoother so less friction occurs. Also less proportion of river is touching rock
Sediment load volume
Increases downstream as the cross sectional area increases so more sediment can be held in the river
Sediment particle size
Decreases downstream because of more attrition having occurred so sediment is smaller and smoother
Channel bed roughness
Decreases downstream as more erosion occurs
Slope angle (gradient)
Decreases downstream as erosion in upper course is more vertical creating more v shaped valleys. In lower course erosion is more horizontal.
Meanders
When rivers enter their middle and lower stages they begin to erode sideways
The rivers erode on the outside of the bend where the current flows strongest and fastest
This washes away the river bank creating a river cliff
On the inside of the bend where the flow is weakest, it deposits material forming a slip off slope
When the river meander reaches the sides of The Valley it erodes them widening The Valley floor and floodplain
