Paper 1: Rivers

Question 1

Source

Answer 1

The start of the river

Question 2

Confluence

Answer 2

Point where two rivers join

Question 3

Tributaries

Answer 3

Where the smaller river joins the main river

Question 4

Watershed

Answer 4

Imaginary line which separate two drainage basins

Question 5

Mouth

Answer 5

A river flows into the lake, sea or ocean

Question 6

Upper course

Answer 6

Shallow

Slowest

V-shaped

Steepest

Question 7

Middle course

Answer 7

Deeper

Faster

U-shaped

Flatter

Question 8

Lower course

Answer 8

Deepest

Fastest

Open floodplain

Flattest

Question 9

Erosion

Answer 9

Same four as coasts, only the processes act upon the river bank / bed

Question 10

Transportation

Answer 10

Same four as coasts, but work from upper to lower course

Question 11

Deposition

Answer 11

River will drop load when it loses energy

Question 12

Interlocking spurs / v-shaped valley (UPPER COURSE)

Answer 12

The river erodes vertically and therefore is unstable

Gravity causes it to collapse = v-shaped valley

The process repeats, deepening the valley

As the river flows through the valley it is forced to swing from side to side (spurs)

Question 13

Waterfalls / gorges (UPPER COURSE)

Answer 13

Waterfalls form when there is hard rock on top of soft rock

The soft rock is eroded through hydraulic action and abrasion

This leaves an overhang of hard rock which becomes undercut and collapses due to gravity; creating a plunge pool

Overtime the waterfall retreats due to headward erosion creating gorges (steep-sided river valleys)

Question 14

Meanders (MIDDLE COURSE)

Answer 14

Lateral erosion widens the river

The current of the river is pushed towards the outside bend and therefore there is more erosion; hydraulic action and abrasion

The lateral erosion on the outside bend causes undercutting

Water on the inner bend is slower, causing material to be deposited creating a slip of slope

Question 15

Ox-bow lakes (MIDDLE COURSE)

Answer 15

The neck of the meander has become narrower due to more erosion

The neck of the meander becomes cut through

Deposition seals off the end of the old meander

Vegetation grows in between the ox-bow lake and the river

Question 16

Floodplains (LOWER COURSE)

Answer 16

Erosion removes any steep valley sides creating a wide flat area on either side of the river

During a flood, material carried by the river is deposited, building up the floodplain

Meanders migrating across the floodplain also makes it wider

Question 17

Leeves (LOWER COURSE)

Answer 17

Leeves are natural embankments along the edges of a river channel

During a flood, eroded material is deposited over the whole floodplain

Question 18

Estuaries (LOWER COURSE)

Answer 18

The water floods over the banks of the river carrying the silt and sand onto the valley floor

As the tide reaches its highest point, the water moves slowly and the sediment is deposited

Over time this builds up more, creating large mudflats

At low tides, the wide mudflats are exposed

Question 19

River Tees

Answer 19

Location - North East

Source - Pennine Hills near Cross Fell (893m)

Mouth - Middlesbrough at the North Sea

Upper course landform - High Force waterfall and gorges

Middle / lower course landforms - meanders, levees and floodplains

Question 20

Human factors causing flooding

Answer 20

Deforestation

Urbanisation

Climate change

Storage reservoirs

Question 21

Physical / natural factors causing flooding

Answer 21

Relief of land

Prolonged or antecedent rainfall

Soil saturation

Climate change

Question 22

Lag time (hydrograph)

Answer 22

How long it takes the river to fill up

Question 23

Peak discharge (hydrograph)

Answer 23

Maximum amount of water flowing in a river

Question 24

Rising limb (Hydrograph)

Answer 24

The rising flood water in the river

Question 25

Falling limb (hydrograph)

Answer 25

The falling flood water in the river

Question 26

Hard engineering

Answer 26

Dams - man made barriers holding out water Channel straightening - when a meander is engineered to become straighter Embankments - artificially raised river bank Flood relief channel - artificially made channel designed to back a frequently flooding channel

Question 27

Dams - advantages

Answer 27

Environmental - turbines can be placed in dams Economic - creates jobs when building Social - attracts tourists

Question 28

Dams - disadvantages

Answer 28

Environmental - create earthquakes when building Economic - expensive Social - farmers homes are flooded

Question 29

Channel straightening - advantages

Answer 29

Environmental - flood risk is reduced Economic - improve navigation and trade Social - increase in homeowner confidence

Question 30

Channel straightening - disadvantages

Answer 30

Environmental - animals' habitats are destroyed Economic - expensive Social - unnatractive

Question 31

Embankments - advantages

Answer 31

Environmental - lowered risks to settlements Economic - cheapest solution Social - provides walking routes

Question 32

Embankments - disadvantages

Answer 32

Environmental - water lies on land for a long time Economic - high maintenance cost as repairs needed Social - people cannot fish or boat in the river

Question 33

Flood relief channel - advantages

Answer 33

Environmental - removes risk of flooding Economic - insurance costs are lower Social - recreational area for boating and canoeing

Question 34

Flood relief channel - disadvantages

Answer 34

Environmental - home downstream suffer from flood Economic - expensive Social - people have to move

Question 35

Soft engineering

Answer 35

Flood plain zoning - restrictions preventing buildings on flood plains Flood warnings - the environment agency warning people about flooding through media Preparation - when buildings are modified to reduce damage Planting trees - increases interception of water, increases lag time River restoration - making the river natural by removing man-made leeves

Question 36

Flood plain zoning - advantages

Answer 36

Environmental - the impact of flooding is reduced Economic - no buildings are damaged

Question 37

Flood plain zoning - disadvantages

Answer 37

Economic - expansion of urban areas is limited Social - no help in areas already built on

Question 38

Flood warnings - advantages

Answer 38

Environmental - the impact of flooding is reduced Social - warnings give time for people to move

Question 39

Flood warning - disadvantages

Answer 39

Environmental - does not stop the flood Social - some may not have access to the media

Question 40

Preparation - advantages

Answer 40

Environmental - impact of flooding is reduced Social - people won't worry about the floods

Question 41

Preparation - disadvantages

Answer 41

Environmental - doesn't guarantee safety Economic - expensive to modify buildings

Question 42

Planting trees - advantages

Answer 42

Environmental - discharge and flood risk are reduced + provide habitats for wildlife

Question 43

Planting trees - disadvantages

Answer 43

Environmental - less land available for farming

Question 44

River restoration - advantages

Answer 44

Environmental - discharge is reduced, so less flooding Economic - little maintenance

Question 45

River restoration - disadvantages

Answer 45

Environmental - local flood risk can increase

Question 46

Banbury

Answer 46

Location - Cotswold Hills, 50km north of Oxford Flooding history - 1998 was the closure of towns and railways 2007 homes were destroyed 2012 scheme - flow control structures, embankments, pumping station, BAP

Question 47

Benefits of the 2012 Banbury scheme

Answer 47

Creates a reservoir Protects 441 houses Reduces anxiety Does not disrupt life

Question 48

Costs of the 2012 Banbury scheme

Answer 48

Floodplain will be flooded Costs £11.5 million 180,000 tonnes of soil needed