Rivers Flashcards
Rivers upper course
The upper course is a lot thinner and also contains lots of rocks pebbles and dirt. The river flows quite slowly due to the resistance of the material and the river isn’t very deep. The gradient of it is quite steep and the water erodes downwards
Rivers middle course
The middle course is a bit bigger deeper and wider and there are less rocks and stones in the Chanel. The river flows at a faster rate as it is gathering speed and less resistance. The river erodes more sideways now, and the gradient is more flat
Lower Cours of the river
The lower course of the river is not very rocky at all and has a large body of water flowing at a fast rate due to the momentum built up, the water erodes sideways and the gradient is flat now.
River discharge
River discharge is the volume of water passing a point every second or minute
V shape valleys formation
V shaped valleys a formed due to erosion of a river downwards and then the weathering of land Esther side of it, due to freeze thaw weathering then transport of large rocks forming the v shape
Traction
When rocks at the bed of the river slowly roll along the floor, normally quite heavy
Saltation
Medium rocks having a little hop up and down whilst flowing along
Suspension
Light weight rocks flowing normally not on the bed but rather quite high up
Solution
When tiny rocks flowing in the river dissolve
Formation of a water fall
Waterfalls often form in the upper stages of a river where it flows over different bands of rock. It erodes soft rock more quickly than hard rock and this may lead to the creation of a waterfall. Formation of a waterfall: The soft rock erodes more quickly, undercutting the hard rock.
Levees formation
The formation of levees and floodplains are linked and involve repeated flooding and the build-up of material during the period of flood. Under normal low conditions, the river is contained within its banks and so no sediment is available to form levees of the floodplain.
Urbanisation
the process of making an area more populated with shops and streets increasing surface run off increasing river discharge
Deforestation
Deforestation, clearance or clearing is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a non-forest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use, decreasing amount of interception increasing river discharge
Hydrograph
A hydrograph is a graph showing the rate of flow (discharge) versus time past a specific point in a river, or other channel or conduit carrying flow. The rate of flow is typically expressed in cubic meters or cubic feet per second (cms or cfs)
Flooding location significance
If there are steep slope near by with no trees this could increase river discharge resulting in a possible flood. Also urban areas increasing surface run of due to impermeable rock
