Hydrological System Flashcards
Thalweg?
The fastest flowing water line in a river
Gorge?
Section of steep valley carved out by a waterfall receding
What process creates waterfalls?
Erosion.
What are Levees?
Raised section of land around the river in the middle and lower course created by deposition
Erosion processes?
Solution attrition abrasion hydraulic action
Transportation processes?
Dissolved, suspension bedload traction (rolling rocks and stones)
What is deposited first?
heavier material then lighter
what can deposition create?
floodplains
watershed?
a peak that divides precipitation into 1 or more drainage basins
what are the 3 courses of the river
upper, middle, lower
what is a river catchment or a drainage basin?
It is an area where water that feeds a river collects.
Tributary?
a stream flowing into a larger river
Confluence?
The point at which a tributary joins a river
What are some features of the upper course?
waterfall, interlocking spurs, v-shaped valley
What are some features of the middle course?
floodplain, meanders, gorges
what are some features of the lower course
floodplain, levees, estuary, delta
what is the area at the bottom of the waterfall?
plunge pool
what are the two rock types in a waterfall?
the hard rock at the top and the soft rock at the bottom
how are ox-bow lakes formed?
A meander gets cut off during heavy flooding.
what is an estuary?
where freshwater meets saltwater (like a mouth of a river)
what is a distributary?
little streams in a delta that run off into the salt water area.
what is a delta?
It is where a river reaches its mouth so deposition occurs and builds a plain at the mouth.
