Rivers Flashcards
Name all the parts of the River Coarse
Tributaries
Watershed
Levees
Mouth
Estuary
Floodplains
Meanders
Confluence
What is the tributary
A tributary is when the river flows downhill where other small streams may join it
What is the watershed
The high ground between two drainage basins is called a watershed
What are leeves
Leeves are raised banks formed by the river on its floodplain
What is the mouth of a river?
The place where a river reaches the sea it is the mouth. This is the end of a rivers coarse
What is the estuary
Near the sea part of the river that is affected by the tides
What are floodplains
Floodplains are areas beside the river that are covered in flood water in times of heavy rain.
What are meanders
Meanders are bend in the river
What is a confluence
The meeting of two rivers
What are the river processes
Erosion
Transportation
Deposition
Name and describe how a waterfall forms
A waterfall form at a youthful stage of a river due to differential erosion which is were softer rock erodes faster than harder rock. Hydraulic action is the main force with moving water wearing away the soft rock while abrasion further erodes the river banks and beds forming a plunge pool. The river load is then carried over the edge which deepens the plunge pool. Solution then erodes the back wall forming an overhang which eventually collapses into the plunge pool. This process is repeated forcing the waterfall to retreat upstream. Forming a gorge through headward erosion e.g powerscour waterfall
Name and describe a feature formed by deposition
Leeves are formed in the old stage of a river.
Leeves are raised banks (natural or manmade).
They are formed along the edges of a river to prevent/ stop flooding.
They develop through deposition.
When flooding occurs rainfall or snowmelt the river level rises overflowing the banks.
As the water then spread out it slows down and losses energy which starts depositing sediments such as sand and gravel closets to the river banks.
Gradual build up: overtime repeated flooding dropping sediments builds up forming raised banks (natural) leeves.
Fine sediments settle further away (like slit and clay) helping form fertile floodplains beyond the Leeves.
Artificial leeves can also be built by humans
E.g the old stage of the river Liffey
What are found in the old stage of a river
Leeves and deltas
What are found in the mature stage of a river
Meanders and oxbow lakes
What are found in the youthful stage of a river
Waterfalls, interlocking spurs and v - shaped valleys
What re the four processes of river erosion
Hydraulic action
Abrasion
Solution
Attrition
