Ch9: Rivers

• Parts of a river:

  Source - the beginning

  Course - the route a river takes to sea

  Confluence - where two rivers/streams join together

  Tributary - a smaller river flowing into a larger river

  Mouth - the end of a river, usually when entering the sea

  Drainage basin - the area of land drained by a river

  Watershed - the high ground of land separated by two drainage basins

  Estuary - the tidal part of the river mouth
• Youthful Stage of a River:

  • Steep-sloped
  • Flows fast
  • Low volume of water
  • Landforms of erosion only

  Landforms:

  • V-shape valley
  • Interlocking spurs
  • Waterfalls
• Mature Stage of a River:

  • Gently sloped
  • River starts to slow down
  • Higher volume of water
  • Landforms of erosion and deposition

  Landforms:

  • Meander
  • Oxbow lake
• Old Stage of a River:

  • Barely sloping/flat
  • Very slow moving
  • Largest volume of water
  • Landforms of deposition

  Landforms:

  • Flood plain
  • Levees
• Processes of river erosion:

  Hydraulic action - the physical force of the water wears down the river bank and bed

  Abrasion - stones carried by the river wear away the banks and bed

  Attrition - small stones are worn down and broken up as they hit off each other

  Solution - rocks such as limestone dissolve by the acids in the water
• Processes of river transportation:

  Rolling - larger stones are rolled along river bed (traction)

  Bouncing - smaller rocks are bounced along river bed (saltation)

  Suspension - light materials (sand) float in the water

  Solution - other materials dissolve in the water