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Geography > River landscapes > Flashcards

River landscapes Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the channel characteristic in the upper course?

A
  • Steep gradient
  • little discharge
  • slow veloctiy (more friction in upper course)
  • Narrow and shallow
  • Erosion type = abrasion/hyrdraulic action
  • low deposition
  • large, angular rocks
  • transport type = traction/saltation
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2
Q

What are the channel characteristics in the middle course?

A
  • relatively steep gradient (gentle)
  • increased discharge
  • faster velocity
  • wider and deeper
  • erosion type = hydraulic acticon
  • medium deposition
  • smoother, smaller rocks
  • transport type = saltation/suspension
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3
Q

What are the channel characteristics in the lower course?

A
  • flat gradient
  • lateral erosion
  • a lot of discharge
  • fastest velocity
  • very wide and deep
  • erosion type = attrition
  • high deposition
  • very smooth, small rocks
  • transport type = solution/suspension
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4
Q

What is the Bradshaw model?

A

Model showing how channel characteristics change from the upper to lower course.

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5
Q

What is a confluence?

A

Where two rivers join.

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6
Q

What is a watershed?

A

The edge of the drainage basin.

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7
Q

What is the source?

A

The start of the river.

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8
Q

What is a drainage basin?

A

An area of land drained by a river and its tributaries.

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9
Q

what is the mouth?

A

Where the river flows into the sea

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10
Q

What is a tributary?

A

A smaller river that flows into a larger river

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11
Q

What is hydraulic action?

A

Pressure of water being pushed against banks of ricer. Also includes compression of air in cracks.

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12
Q

what is abrasion?

A

particles carried along river are thrown against river banks with force.

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13
Q

What is attrition?

A

Wearing away of rocks which are in the river. In the upper course of a river, rocks continuously roll and knock into each other, chipping away and smoothing out.

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14
Q

What is solution?

A

Chemical reaction between certain rock types in river water. e.g. limestone

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15
Q

What are the different types of transportation in rivers?

A
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16
Q

How do ox-bow lakes form?

A
  1. In the lower course, meander bends become very large. With continual erosion on the outside of the banks and deposition on the inside, the ends of the meander become closer.
  2. When flooding occurs, the river is able to cut through the gap and, in time, forms a new straight channel.
  3. Continued deposition of alluvium at times of low flow results in the old bend of the river becoming cut off.
17
Q

What are the hard engineering river management strategies put in place in the River Nene?

A
  • Embankments - 15m high raised banks along a river, these hold the water during high flood risk times. Also seeded with grass to blend in with environment.
  • Channelisation - widened and deepened river channel, sometimes straightened. Means the river can hold a larger capacity of water.
  • Flood relief channels - channel course can be altered to divert flooding risk.
  • Dams - Built in the upper courses of rivers to regulate amount of water going down stream.
  • Flood walls - Close to the railway, 4m high flood walls have been built to protect very nearby housing. Relatively quick and easy to build.
  • Storage areas - large depression close to rivers that can fill with water. Developed a habitat for aquatic flora and fauna.
18
Q

What are the soft engineering river management strategies put in place in the River Nene?

A
  • Floodplain zoning - local government decides which area of a rivers flood plain to build upon.
  • Washlands - Rivers can naturally flood areas of land that are not used. Water can be diverted away from Northampton.
  • Warning System - The environmental agency monitors risk and informs public. Upgraded in 2003. 3 levels of warning (flood aler, flood warning, severe flood warning).
  • Aforestation - plant more trees to intercept the rainfall and slow down the flow of water to the river.
19
Q

Where is the River Nene and why is flood management needed?

A
  1. In Nothamptonshire; runs through Northampton
  2. In 1998, heavy rain caused the River Nene to overflow and flood part of the town. Sadly, 2 people died.
  3. By 2002, the Environmental Agency completed a £6.8 million project to protect areas of Northampton at risk of flooding.

Geography (6 decks)

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