Rivers Flashcards
What are rivers responsible for forming
Valleys, flood plains and estuaries
What does a long profile of a river show
How the river has changed from source to mouth
What features do you see in the upper course of the river
Shallow streams
Fast moving water
Water falls
V shaped valleys
What features do we see in the middle course of a river
Deeper channels
Meanders
The river starts to erode laterally
How does material enter rivers
Weathering
Mass movement
Fluvial erosion
What type of erosion dominates the upper course of the river
Vertical erosion
What type of erosion dominates the middle and lower course of the river
Lateral erosion
What are some features of the lower course of a river
Flood plains
Levees
Wide channel
Flat valley
What do levees do
The raise the height of the river bank so it can hold more water when in flood
How are levees formed
When in flood material is deposited on top of the bank and the larger material stacks up first because it needs more energy to be transported
What are some human causes of flooding
Urbanisation
Deforestation
What are some hard engineering techniques for protecting rivers
Dams
River straightening
Man made levees
What are some soft engineering techniques for protecting rivers
Afforestation
Wetland conservation
Flood plain zoning
