River regimes Flashcards
What is river discharge?
The channel flow rate of a river
What is the regime of a river?
Its discharge pattern through an average year
What are river regimes mainly driven by?
River regimes are mainly driven by climate
What sort of regimes may tropical rivers have?
Tropical rivers may have steady river regimes with little seasonal change where P and PE vary little
What sort of regime does River Vinalopo in Spain have?
A simple regime with one high in the winter and one low in the summer
Why does River Vinalopo have low summer flow?
This is due to hot, dry summers of southern Spain leading to larger PE as well as human abstraction for irrigation etc
Why does the River Arve have high summer flow?
This is due to glacial meltwater and mild summers in the Alps resulting in low PE
If climate varies between basins what will also vary?
River regimes
How does a river regime vary if it has permeable underlying rock?
When the underlying rock is permeable it acts as a reservoir for groundwater and usually maintains a more steady flow
What human factors can also impact river regimes?
Reservoirs or abstraction of water
How can the position of a measuring station also impact how river regimes appear?
If the measuring station is at a location where numerous tributaries meet it can cause a significant change in the amount of discharge
What can cause a complex regime?
When contrasting regimes mix such as when a tributary joins a larger river
What is an example of a complex river regime?
The River Rhone in southern France
What happens along the River Rhone to make it a complex river regime?
Numerous tributaries join the River Rhone and contrasting regimes mix leading to more than one high and low
