River Landscapes

Question 1

Name the 6 key features of a river basin

Answer 1

.Source
.Drainage Basin
.Watershed
.Tributary
.Confluence
.Mouth

Question 2

Name the 3 types of erosion that affect a river valley and give an example for each

Answer 2

Physical- freeze thaw
Biological- roots cracking of the rock
Chemical- acid rain

Question 3

name the 3 types of mass movement and what happens during each of them

Answer 3

Soil Creep- soil particles move down a slope due to gravity
Slumping- the rive erodes the bottom of the valley making it steeper. The material when saturated then slumps down as it is to heavy to be supported
Rock fall- rocks at the top of the valley are affected by freeze thaw. Parts of the rock break off and fall down the valley

Question 4

how are interlocking spurs formed

Answer 4

interlocking spurs are formed when a naturally river flows through a valley

Question 5

how are waterfalls formed

Answer 5

they are formed when a layer of hard resistant rock is over the top of softer less resistant rock and the softer rock gets eroded away

Question 6

how are meanders formed

Answer 6

meanders are formed when the outside of a river bend is eroded and the inside of the bend has sediment deposited over time this increases the severity of the bend

Question 7

how are oxbow lakes formed

Answer 7

oxbow lakes are formed when the bottom corners of a meander are eroded through and the river continues in a straight the top half of the meander is cut off and an oxbow lake is formed

Question 8

how is a flood plain formed

Answer 8

a flood plain is formed when a river floods and due to the decrease in velocity deposition occurs depositing sediment building up a floodplain

Question 9

how are levees formed

Answer 9

levees are formed when a river floods and the heavier material can not be deposited further away from the river as the material is to heavy so it is deposited by the river building up its banks

Question 10

list 4 ways the impacts of flooding can be reduced

Answer 10

Planning
Prediction
Prevention
Education

Question 11

give 3 examples of soft engineering and what they involve

Answer 11

Afforestation: Replanting trees within the drainage basin
Land use zoning: restricting where certain structures can be built
Wash lands: areas of the flood plan which are allowed to flood

Question 12

give 3 examples of hard engineering

Answer 12

Flood relief channels: extra channels to carry away surplus water
Channelization: the deepening and or widening of the river channel
Embankments: man made levees built near the river banks