Rivers (Paper 1) Flashcards

1
Q

How many metres above sea level is the source of the River Dee?

A

460m

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2
Q

Where is the source of the River Dee?

A

Ddaullt in Snowdonia National Park

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3
Q

How many km long is the River Dee?

A

100km

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4
Q

Between 1972 and 1976, how many km of the River Dee underwent channelization?

A

8km

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5
Q

How many people got their water from the River Dee in 2016?

A

3 million

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6
Q

How many people died in the UK November 2012 floods?

A

9

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7
Q

How many homes flooded in the UK November 2012 floods?

A

8000

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8
Q

In what year did the Boscastle floods occur?

A

2004

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9
Q

How many homes and businesses were destroyed in the Boscastle floods?

A

100

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10
Q

How many cars were washed out to sea during the Boscastle floods?

A

75

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11
Q

How many homes were affected during the Tewkesbury 2007 floods?

A

48,000

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12
Q

How much money did the Tewkesbury 2007 floods cost the local council?

A

£140,000

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13
Q

In the Somerset 2014 floods, how many weeks did it take the flood waters to reduce?

A

12

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14
Q

How many hectares of farmland were left underwater in the Somerset floods?

A

1000

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15
Q

How are waterfalls and gorges formed?

A

-A band of more resistant rock lies over a band of soft rock
-The river erodes the soft rock which undercuts the resistant rock
-Eventually the more resistant rock collapses under its weight and gravity
-The force of the falling water erodes the riverbed through hydraulic action and abrasion from large boulders. This creates a plunge pool
-As the soft rock keeps eroding the hard rock collapses causing a gorge to form as the water fall retreats
-Gorges form from hard rocks where vertical erision by rivers is dominant

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16
Q

How are interlocking spurs formed?

A

-Rivers are small near the source and don’t have much power
-They flow around valley ridges (spurs) as they do not have the power to erode the usually more resistant rock
-Spurs are left interlocking with those from one side of the valley overlapping from the other

17
Q

How are rivers cliffs formed?

A

-These are formed on the outside bend of a meander
-The thalweg (the deepest and fastest part of the current) is directed to the outside of the river bend as the water swings side to side
-Here there is maximum velocity and force causing lateral erosion through abrasion and hydraulic action
-The erosion undercuts the bank and a steep bank is formed

18
Q

How are floodplains formed?

A

A floodplain is a wide flat area of land either side of a river and experiences flood when the river tops its banks
-When the river floods excess water spills over the surrounding area
-During flooding, the velocity of the river decreases, it loses energy and so deposits sediment flattening the floodplain
-The floodplain is also shaped by lateral erosion of meanders as they gradually migrate across the valley floor downstream

19
Q

How are levees formed?

A

A levee is a natural embankment of sediment formed along the riverbank
-When flooding occurs, water and sediment come out of the channel as the river overflows
-As it overflows the river loses velocity and energy so deposists the larger and heavier sediment first on its banks
-As it repeats the banks get higher forming levees

20
Q

How are point bars formed?

A

-On the inside of a meander the velocity and force of the water is less leading to deposition
-Larger and heavier sediment is deposited first, gently forming a sloping bank

21
Q

How are meanders formed?

A

A meander is a bend in the river’s course commonly found on floodplains
-The flow of water swings from side to side causing the maximum velocity and force of the water to be on the outside of the bend
-A river cliff is formed
-On the inside bend the velocity is slower causing deposition
-Due to erosion and deposition the cross section of the meander is asymmetrical (steep on outside gentle on the inside)

22
Q

How are oxbow lakes formed?

A

-As a meander bends and develops its neck becomes narrower
-Eventually the river may erode through the neck
-Water then flows through the straight channel as water follows the quickest route
-The old bend is abandonded by the river
-Depostion at the neck seals off the bend which dries up
-This leaves a horseshoe shaped lake behind this is an oxbow lake

23
Q

What are the 4 types of hard engineering?

A

-Embankments (levees)
-Channelisation
-Flood relief channels
-Dams and Reservoirs

24
Q

What are embankments (levees) and the pros and cons of it?

A

High banks built on or near riverbanks.
+Stops the water from spreading into other areas
-Can burst under pressure

25
Q

What is channelisation and the pros and cons of it?

A

Deepening and/or straightening the channel.
+Allows water to flow more quickly from areas of flood risk
-More water is taken downstream increasing flood risk elsewhere

26
Q

What are flood relief channels and the pros and cons of them?

A

Extra channels built next to rivers/leading from them.
+Can accommodate high flows so flooding doesn’t occur
-Can be expensive

27
Q

What are dams and reservoirs and the pros and cons of them?

A

Barriers constructed to hold back water in artificial lakes.
+Can be used to produce hydroelectric power
-Social cost as people displaced

28
Q

What are the 3 types of soft engineering?

A

-Washlands
-River restoration
-Flood-plain zoning

29
Q

What are washlands and the pros and cons of them?

A

Areas on the flood plain that are allowed to flood.
+Provides a safe place for floodwater to go
-Allowing land to flood may limit its use

30
Q

What is river restoration and the pros and cons of it?

A

Restoring the river’s original course.
+Natural rivers are more attractive and create natural habitats for wildlife
-Some flood banks are still needed

31
Q

What is flood-plain zoning and the pros and cons of it?

A

Land is allocated different uses depending on the flood risk.
+Reduces number of homes at risk of flooding
-Restricts settlement growth