Rivers Flashcards
Drainage Basin
An area of land drained by a river and all of its tributaries.
Hydrological cycle
Circulatory system by which water is transferred between the oceans atmosphere and land.
Drainage Density
The total length of all the streams in the drainage basin divided by total area of drainage basin.
River regime
The expected seasonal pattern of discharge over the year at one particular point.
Hydro graph
A graph showing variations in river discharge over a period of time often produced by a storm or flood.
Flood
When the river channel receives more water than it can hold it overflows its banks.
Discharge
The volume of water in a river passing a measuring point in a given time in cubic metres per second.
Meander
A loop or bend in the river with a slip off slope on the inside bend and a river cliff on the outside.
Waterfall
A place where the river descends vertically usually where hard rock overlies soft rock.
Ox bow lake
A crescent shaped lake left after a meander neck has been cut through.
V shaped valley
A river valley with evenly sloped sides in the shape of a V caused by erosion and weathering.
Delta
A landform produced by the deposition of sediment at the mouth of a river as it enters a sea or a lake.
FloodPlain
flat low lying area of the valley floor which floods from time to time.
Erosion
Wearing away of the bed and banks by corrosion, Hydraulic action and attrition.
Transportation
Removal of weathered and eroded material in rivers by solution, suspension, saltation or traction.
