Rivers Flashcards
Attrition
Process of erosion which breaks down the bedload into smaller and rounder pieces by banging them together.
Abrasion
Erosional process where bedload hit and grind against the river’s bed and banks to wear it away.
Hydraulic action
Erosional process where the force of the water against the bed and banks of the river wearing it away.
Solution (erosion)
Erosional process where chemicals in river water breakdown the bed and banks slowly.
Traction
Method of transportation which moves the heaviest material by rolling it along the river bed.
Saltation
Method of transportation which moves material by bouncing it along the river bed.
Suspension
Method of transportation where lighter and smaller material is picked up and carried along in the river.
Solution
Method of transportation where the bed and banks of a river are chemically dissolved in the river water and transported.
Long profile
Changes to the gradient of the river as it moves from source to mouth
Cross-profile
Changes to the width and depth of the river channel and valley as it moves from source to mouth.
Deposition
The ‘dropping’ of sediment by rivers due to a lack of water energy (e.g. on floodplains or at their mouth)
Hard engineering
Strategies to stop flooding which work against nature and involve the construction of physical barriers. (e.g. Flood walls or channelisation)
Soft engineering
Strategies to stop flooding which aim to work with nature (e.g. Afforestation or floodplain zoning)
Levee
A depositional landform beside a river channel which builds up through deposition over successive floods.
Meanders
A landform created by both erosion and deposition. They are bends within the river.
