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Geography > Rivers > Flashcards

Rivers Flashcards

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1
Q

Abrasion

A

Rocks moving with river wear down river bed and banks

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2
Q

Attrition

A

Rocks carried by the river collide and break each other into smaller, rounder pieces

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3
Q

Cross Profile

A

Side to side cross-section of a river channel / valley

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4
Q

Dam / Reservoir

A

Barrier built across a valley to interrupt a river and create a man-made lake which controls the discharge of the river

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5
Q

Discharge

A

Quantity of water passing a point in a river in a given amount of time

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6
Q

Embankments

A

Raised banks along the side of the river, making the channel deeper to hold more water

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7
Q

Estuary

A

Tidal mouth of a river where it meets the sea - wide banks of deposited mud are exposed at low tide

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8
Q

Flood

A

River discharge exceeds channel capacity and water spills into floodplains or other areas

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9
Q

Floodplains

A

Flat area forming valley floor on either side of the river, which is sometimes flooded

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10
Q

Flood Plain Zoning

A

Organising flood defences in a way that puts buildings away from the floodplains, which may be used for agriculture, playing fields, etc.

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11
Q

Flood Relief Channels

A

Artificial channels, which carry water away from the main river channel during periods of extreme discharge

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12
Q

Flood Risk

A

Predicted frequency of floods in an area

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13
Q

Flood Warning

A

Advance information about when a flood is expected to occur - flood warning systems give people time to evacuate

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14
Q

Fluvial Processes

A

Processes relating to erosion, transport and deposition by a river

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15
Q

Gorge

A

Narrow, steep-sided valley, usually caused by the upstream retreat of a waterfall

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16
Q

Hard Engineering

A

Methods of flood prevention which involve completely artificial structures to reduce or stop river processes leading to floods

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17
Q

Hydraulic Action

A

The force of the water in the river causes air to get trapped in cracks along the material of the river bank/bed - the pressure gradually wears them away

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18
Q

Hydrograph

A

A graph which shows the discharge of a river compared to rainfall over a period of time

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19
Q

Interlocking Spurs

A

A series of ridges projecting out on alternate sides of a valley, which the river winds its course around

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20
Q

Lateral Erosion

A

Sideways erosion on the river bank on the outside of a meander, causing the river channel to widen and contributing to the formation of floodplains

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21
Q

Levees

A

Natural embankments of sediment deposited during a flood, which build every time the river floods and which deepen the river channel, so reducing flood risk

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22
Q

Long Profile

A

The gradient of a river, from its source to its mouth

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23
Q

Meander

A

A pronounced bend in a river

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24
Q

Ox-bow lake

A

Arc-shaped lake which has been cut off from a meandering river

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25
Q

Precipitation

A

Water/moisture falling from the atmosphere e.g., rain, snow

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26
Q

Saltation

A

Particles bouncing down the river bed

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27
Q

Soft Engineering

A

Using the natural environment to work with river processes and manage flood risk

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28
Q

Solution

A

Soluble particles dissolved in the river

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29
Q

Channel Straightening

A

Removing meanders to make a river straighter to carry water downstream quicker and prevent floods

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30
Q

Suspension

A

Fine solid material held in the moving water of the river

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31
Q

Traction

A

Pebbles and stones rolling along the river bed

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32
Q

Vertical Erosion

A

Downwards erosion, wearing down the river bed and deepening the river channel

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33
Q

Waterfall

A

Sudden descent of a river over a vertical / steep slope

34
Q

Erosion

A

Gradual wearing away and breaking down of the river bank and bed and other solid material in the river

35
Q

Transport

A

The movement of eroded material along a river

36
Q

Deposition

A

Material settling out of the water when the river flow slows down

37
Q

Give three factors that affect flood risk

A
  • prolonged/heavy rainfall
  • relief of watershed
  • geology
  • vegetation
  • urban land use
38
Q

Explain how relief can affect flood risk

A
  • shape of watershed determines how quickly water reaches the river
  • steep sided is quicker than shallow sided valley
  • rounded is fastest
  • water reaching river faster; more likely to flood
39
Q

Explain how geology can affect flood risk

A
  • permeable rocks make it more likely that water will travel as groundflow or throughflow
  • reduces surface runoff
  • greater lag time, so river less likely to flood
40
Q

Explain how vegetation can affect flood risk

A
  • trees and other plants intercept water
  • slow it down as it tries to reach the river
  • increase lag time and reduce flood risk
41
Q

Explain how urban land use can affect flood risk

A
  • permeable surfaces on the ground (e.g., tarmac)
  • water travels mainly as surface runoff, so reaches river quicker
  • less lag time, so increased chance of flooding
42
Q

Describe the location of the River Tees (3 points)

A

Pennines - North of the UK
Begins near Cross Fell
Ends near Middlesbrough
Roughly 128km long

43
Q

Explain the formation of waterfalls

A
  • upper/middle course of a river
  • river runs over alternating layers of hard and soft rock
  • soft rock is eroded faster, leaving a step
  • erosion continues and hard rock is undercut; a plunge pool is formed
  • overhang gets bigger and eventually falls off, making the waterfall retreat
44
Q

Explain the formation of gorges

A
  • waterfall is formed from layers of soft and hard rock
  • erosion processes create a plunge pool and make it bigger over time
  • overhang gradually increases until it falls and the waterfall retreats
  • steep-sided valley left where waterfall once was - this is known as a gorge
45
Q

Explain the formation of interlocking spurs

A
  • upper course of a river
  • mainly vertical erosion due to gravity; river cuts down into valley
  • bends around hard rock that is difficult to erode
  • creates interlocking spurs of land which link together
46
Q

Explain the formation and development of meanders

A
  • water goes around a bend in the river
  • mostly pushed to the outside of the bend, where it moves fastest
  • increases erosion due to speed (hydraulic action and abrasion)
  • water is slower on inner bend, so some substances can settle out of the water - deposition
47
Q

Explain the formation of an oxbow lake

A
  • bend/meander in river becomes more pronounced over time
  • slower water on inside of bend deposits eroded material
  • faster water on outside of bend erodes river banks more
  • period of extreme discharge takes place (e.g., rainstorm)
  • neck is cut through, and an arc-shaped lake is left behind
48
Q

Explain the formation of levees

A
  • lower course of a river where flooding occurs
  • sediment eroded upstream is transported downstream
  • sediment spreads over floodplain during a flood
  • largest material on sides of river bank, smaller material further away
  • over time, sediment builds up height of the river banks; deeper channel is less likely to flood in the future
49
Q

Factors leading to deposition

A
  • volume of water decreases
  • shallow water
  • water moving slower
50
Q

Drainage Basin

A

Area of land around a river that is drained by the river and its tributaries

51
Q

Watershed

A

Area of high land forming the edge of a river basin

52
Q

Source

A

Where a river begins

53
Q

Mouth

A

Where a river meets the sea

54
Q

Confluence

A

The point at which two rivers meet

55
Q

Tributary

A

A small river or stream that joins a larger river

56
Q

Channel

A

Where the river flows

57
Q

Describe the upper course of a river

A
  • often in an upland area; mainly vertical erosion
  • river’s load is large, as it hasn’t been eroded yet
  • channel is shallow and narrow
58
Q

Describe the lower course of a river

A
  • land is flatter, due to lateral erosion
  • river’s load is mainly fine sediment that has been broken down over time
  • channel is wide and deep
59
Q

Peak Discharge

A

Maximum amount of water held in the channel

60
Q

Peak Rainfall

A

Maximum amount of rainfall (mm)

61
Q

Lag time

A

Time taken between peak rainfall and peak discharge

62
Q

Rising Limb

A

Shows increase in discharge on a hydrograph

63
Q

Falling Limb

A

Shows the return to normal discharge (base flow) on a hydrograph

64
Q

Base Flow

A

Normal discharge of the river

65
Q

Factors influencing lag time

A
  • size of drainage basin
  • vegetation
  • valley side steepness
  • soil type and geology
66
Q

Evaluate the use of dams and reservoirs in river management

A

Pros:

  • can be used to generate hydroelectric power
  • reservoirs can attract tourists

Cons:

  • expensive
  • trap sediment so may hold less water over time
  • habitats flood which can rot vegetation and release methane, a greenhouse gas
  • settlements may be lost, displacing people
67
Q

Evaluate the use of river straightening and dredging in river management

A

Pros:

  • more water held in channel
  • reduces flood risk in built-up areas

Cons:

  • dredging must be done frequently
  • increases flood risk downstream
68
Q

Evaluate the use of embankments in river management

A

Pros:

  • cheap; one-off cost
  • flood water contained within river

Cons:

  • looks unnatural
  • water speeds up and increases flood risk downstream
69
Q

Evaluate the use of flood relief channels in river management

A

Pros:
- removes excess water from channel to reduce flood risk

Cons:

  • expensive
  • rising water levels may also flood relief channel
70
Q

Evaluate flood warnings and preparation in river management

A

Pros:

  • time to protect properties
  • possessions saved; fewer insurance claims

Cons:

  • some people may not have access to the warnings
  • may be ineffective with flash floods
  • do not stop land flooding
71
Q

Evaluate the use of flood plain zoning in river management

A

Pros:

  • reduced flood risk for expensive properties
  • less damage caused, so fewer insurance claims
  • flooded land has other uses e.g., agriculture

Cons:

  • not always possible to change existing land uses
  • planners must decide what type of flood to plan for
72
Q

Boscastle flood defence scheme (August 2004)

A
  • £10 million
  • widening and deepening river channel
  • replacing low bridges with wider ones, to stop them acting like dams (trapped debris in 2004 flood)
  • raising car park and using a permeable surface
  • tree management - dead trees removed and living ones well-maintained
73
Q

Alluvium

A

The sediment deposited by rivers, also known as silt

74
Q

Mudflat

A

Sheltered coastal areas where mud is deposited by tides or rivers

75
Q

Plunge Pool

A

The pool of water found at the bottom of a waterfall; it is an erosional feature, created by a combination of hydraulic action and the abrasion of the plunging water

76
Q

River Cliff

A

Steep bank created on the outside of a river bend by the erosive effect of fast-flowing water undercutting the bank

77
Q

Slip-off Slope

A

Gently sloping bank found on the inside of a river bend because of slow-flowing water, depositing sediment

78
Q

Infiltration

A

Water that soaks into the ground

79
Q

Saturated

A

Unable to contain any more water

80
Q

Surface Run-off

A

The water that runs over the surface of the land when the soil is unable to absorb it

Geography (17 decks)

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