RIVERS

• drainage basin


  area of land that all water landing on it will flow into a river

  
• River Valley


  land around the river it makes up part of the drainage basin
• river channel


  the actual river

  
• mouth


  Where the river meets the sea
• what type of river transport increases downstream and why?

  suspension will increase downstream because only very small particles of sand or clay are suspended along the water
• traction


  The rolling of boulders and pebbles along the river bed.

  
• saltation


  Small pebbles and stones are bounced along the river bed

  
• River Tees - Upper Course


  narrow v-shaped valley with vertical erosion and bedrock which causes friction - creates interlocking spurs. freeze-thaw processes in valley sides
• River Tees - Middle Course


  meanders with erosion caused by hydraulic action on the outer bend.

  inner bend water moves more slowly

  - lateral erosion and deposition create slip-off slopes and large bends
• River Tees- Lower Course


  heavier sediment dropped in flooding quickly, creates levees.

  estuary at river mouth, water deposits material in slow movement, creates salt marshes which re habitats to the common seal.
• how do rivers erode

  the action of wearing away rocks and soils. rivers need a high amount of energy for this

  
• How do rivers transport?

  rivers pick up and carry material. More energy is needed for larger pieces

  
• Why do rivers drop their load?

  when it loses energy. Large material is dropped first

  
• How does geology affect these process?

  (erosion, transport, load)

  erosion will be faster or slower depending on the geology more resistant rocks will not erode as quickly
• How might climate and weathering affect the valley slopes?

  freeze-thaw weathering is more likely to occur in upland areas at higher altitudes where conditions are colder. This will create more weathered valley slopes
• how will geology and valley gradient affect mass movement?

  In the upper course the vertical erosion of the river Chanel together with weathering of the steep valley sides can trigger mass movement. The softer the rock the more effect on the mass movement.
• What are the features of a v-shaped valley

  - steep and often rugged sides

  - The river transports the rocks downstream and the channel becomes wider and deeper creating a V-shaped valley between interlocking spurs.

  
• What are the features of a waterfall


  a river or other body of water's steep fall over a rocky ledge into a plunge pool below.

  
• What are the features of gorges

  a narrow valley with steep, rocky walls located between hills or mountains
• What is a meander

  A bend in a river
• What is an oxbow lake


  a meander that has been cut off from the original stream channel
• Features of meanders


  when water flows in a curvy, bendy path, like a snake.
• What are floodplains


  Low lying ground next to a river or stream, often

  fertile and subject to flooding
• What are levees?


  Natural embankments along the edges of a river channel