Geography (rivers)

• Name three features of erosion

  Waterfalls, gorges, interlocking spurs
• What erosion processes create the plunge pool?


  Hydraulic action and abrasion
• What is a gorge?


  As a waterfall retreats it leaves behind a steep sides valley
• Characteristics of interlocking spurs


  Steep gradient and convex slopes
• Characteristics of v-shaped valleys


  Narrow and steep sides
• What is a tributary?


  A small river that feeds into the main one
• What are the three river courses?

  Upper course, lower course, middle course
• Name the 4 erosion processes

  Abrasion, Hydraulic action, solution, attrition
• Name the 4 transport processes


  Traction, saltation, suspension, solution
• How does a waterfall form in detail?


  Erosion - river erodes the weaker rocks and pushes it to the side, leaving a hard ledge.
• How does an oxbow lake form?


  Meandering river erodes through the neck of one of its meanders, becoming more curved over time. Eventually, the old meander gets blocked off.
• How does a gorge form?


  Erosion - Streams break down the rocks and form steep walls, hydraulic action of falling water erodes soft rocks.
• How do interlocking spurs form?


  When a river flows through a hilly area and encounters hills and mountains in its path, taking a winding route which forms the interlocking spurs.
• What is soft engineering?


  involves adapting to a river and working with natural processes
• What is hard engineering?


  human-made structures are ysed to prevent or control natural processes from taking place
• Benefits of hard engineering


  Protects towns, villages, homes and businesses. People are less worried about their lives. People can still get to work and school
• Benefits of soft engineering 


  Financial savings and any environmental improvements
• Costs of hard engineering


  Expensive. Can impact ecosystems
• Costs of soft engineering


  Financial cost of scheme. Negative impact on environment and lives
• Upper course features


  Waterfalls, interlocking spurs, gorges
• Middle course features

  meanders and oxbow lakes
• Lower course features 


  Floodplains and levees
• What words can be used to describe a long profile?


  Smooth, gentle, curved, bumpy, steep, rigid, shallow
• What is a levee


  In lower course, increase in volume of water flowing downstream and flooding occures
• What is a meander?


  Asymmetrical in a cross-section, it is deeper on the outerbend and shallower on the inside bend
• What is verticle erosion?

  A geological process that deepens the channel of a river or valley by removing material from its bed or floor
• What is lateral erosion?


  A type of erosion that occurs along the sides of a river and widens the channel and valley
• What is surface runoff?


  When water hits the land, some of it flows into rivers
• What is a river?


  A moving body of water that flows from its source on high ground across land, and into another body of water.
• A tributary is a smaller stream or river that flows into a larger one.
• what are the human features to flooding

  Bridges, conrete and tarmac, deforestation
• Physical features of flooding


  Steep slopes, impermable rocks, saturated soil, drainage basin