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Geography > Rivers > Flashcards

Rivers Flashcards

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1
Q

What is hydraulic action?

A

The force of water compresses air into the river bank. When this pressure builds up, the bank is weakened and wears away.

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2
Q

What is abrasion?

A

Rocks carried by the river rub and scrape against the river bed and river banks, wearing them down.

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3
Q

What is attrition?

A

Rocks carried by the river rub and crash against each other which breaks them into smaller pieces.

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4
Q

What is solution?

A

Acidic water dissolves certain types of rocks on the river bed and banks (limestone)

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5
Q

What is river discharge?

A

Amount of water in a river at a given time.

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6
Q

What is a river’s load?

A

Materials carried by the river (they can be all different shapes and sizes)

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7
Q

What is traction?

A

Large boulders and rocks are rolled along the river bed by the force of the water at times of high discharge.

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8
Q

What is saltation?

A

Small rocks and sand are bounced along the river bed.

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9
Q

What is suspension?

A

Fine clay and sand particles are carried along the river, even at low discharge.

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10
Q

What is solution?

A

Minerals dissolve in the water (calcium carbonate). This requires little energy.

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11
Q

What is the valley like in the upper, middle and lower course?

A

upper- steep valley sides
middle- flatter valley sides
lower- flat valley sides

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12
Q

What is the channel like in the upper, middle and lower course?

A

upper- narrow and shallow channel
middle- wider and deeper channel
lower- widest and deepest channel

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13
Q

What landforms are there in the upper course of a river?

A

V shaped valley, marshy land, rapids, High Force waterfall (River Tees)

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14
Q

What landforms are there in the middle course of the river?

A

Floodplains, meanders, slip off slopes, river cliffs

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15
Q

What landforms are there in the lower course of the river?

A

Mudflats, meanders

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16
Q

What processes occur in the upper course and what is the size of the load?

A

Large angular bedload
-low velocity
-vertical erosion
-traction
-saltation

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17
Q

What processes occur in the middle course and what is the size of the load?

A

smaller less angular bedload
-faster velocity
-hydraulic action
-attrition
-lateral erosion dominates

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18
Q

What processes occur in the lower course and what is the size of the load?

A

Small bedload
deposition
suspension

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19
Q

when/ why do rivers deposit sediment?

A

velocity of the water slows, decreasing the energy of the water. the heaviest material is dropped first

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20
Q

what are the erosional landforms?

A

waterfalls, interlocking spurs, gorges

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21
Q

what is a floodplain?

A

the land covered in water when a river bursts its banks

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22
Q

how do floodplains form?

A

erosion removes interlocking spurs, creating wide flat land either side of the river

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23
Q

what is a levee?

A

small build ups on river banks

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24
Q

how do levees form?

A

when a river floods, it deposits the heaviest of its load. after many floods, the levees rise to raise the river bank –>flooding is less likely

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25
Q

what is an estuary?

A

the tidal mouth of a river meets the sea

26
Q

how do estuaries form?

A

wide banks of deposited mud are exposed at low tide, which are important for wildlife

27
Q

how does precipitation increase flood risk?

A

torrential rainstorms can lead to sudden flash floods

28
Q

how does rock type increase flood risk?

A

impermeable rocks (clay) do not allow water to pass through them, so water flows over the land into the river

29
Q

how does relief increase flood risk?

A

steeper relief allows water to run over the land quickly so there is no time for it to seep into the soil —>more water enters the channel

30
Q

how does agriculture increase flood risk?

A

soil can be left exposed when unused so more surface run off occurs

31
Q

how does urbanisation increase flood risk?

A

often, new roads etc are built on impermeable rock (tarmac), so more surface run off into drains and therefore rivers occurs

32
Q

how does deforestation increase flood risk?

A

trees can’t intake water, and less interception

33
Q

what is a dam? (hard engineering)

A

a large concrete barrier built across a river to hold back its flow

34
Q

what are some benefits of dams?

A

reduces flood risk, allows for hydroelectric power, allows for leisure activities

35
Q

what are some costs of dams?

A

they are ugly, expensive and disrupts natural fish life

36
Q

what is channel straightening? - hard engineering

A

a meandering section of a river is engineered to create a widened, straightened and deepened course to carry more water

37
Q

what is a benefit of channel straightening?

A

river flows faster, gravel removes friction

38
Q

what is a cost of channel straightening?

A

it disrupts wildlife

39
Q

what are embankments?- hard engineering

A

raised river banks, which allow more water to be contained in the channel

40
Q

what is a benefit of embankments?

A

the river can carry more water before it floods

41
Q

what is a cost of embankments?

A

they are costly, disrupt views and access to the river, soil fertility is reduced

42
Q

what is flood relief? - hard engineering

A

another channel is built to move water away from human settlements

43
Q

what is a benefit of flood relief?

A

removes water from settlements at times of high discharge

44
Q

what is a cost of flood relief?

A

disrupts surrounding areas of the channel

45
Q

what are flood warnings? - soft engineering

A

the environmental energy monitor rivers and send warnings via radio tv etc

46
Q

what is an advantage of flood warnings?

A

people have time to save possessions, or protect their property

47
Q

what is a disadvantage of flood warnings?

A

some people cannot access the warnings, flash floods may happen too quick for a warning, does not stop the flood from actually happening

48
Q

what is floodplain zoning?- soft engineering

A

only certain land uses are allowed on floodplains

49
Q

what is an advantage of floodplain zoning?

A

valuable buildings are at less of a risk of flooding, less damage

50
Q

what is a disadvantage of floodplain zoning?

A

some land uses cannot be changed

51
Q

what is a benefit of aforestation?

A

more interception and water taken in from photosynthesis

52
Q

what is a cost of aforestation?

A

takes long for trees to grow

53
Q

what is river restoration?

A

reverting a river to how it was before channel straightening

54
Q

what is our example of a flood management scheme?

A

Jubilee River

55
Q

what type of flood relief scheme is the jubilee river?

A

a flood relief channel

56
Q

what is an economic effect of the jubilee river?

A

business insurance costs for Wraysbury in 2014 was £500 million

57
Q

what is a social effect of the jubilee river?

A

some properties are protected but not others, eg 3000 affluent properties in Eton are protected, but settlements in Wraysbury aren’t

58
Q

what is an environmental effect of the jubilee river?

A

algae collects behind weirs where river flow slows

59
Q

how many km is the jubilee river?

A

12km

60
Q

how many hectares of reed bed were created as part of the growth corridor in the jubilee river?

A

38

61
Q

how many businesses and houses were protected by the jubilee river?

A

500 businesses, 3000 homes

Geography (14 decks)

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