River landscaped in the UK 𦦠Flashcards
Abrasion
Rocks carried along by the river wear down the river bed and banks.
Attrition
Rocks being carried by the river smash together and break into smaller,
smoother and rounder particles.
Cross profile
The side to side cross-section of a river channel and/or valley.
Dam and reservoir
A barrier (made on earth, concrete or stone) built across a valley to interrupt
river flow and create a manβmade lake (reservoir) which stores water and
controls the discharge of the river.
Discharge
The quantity of water that passes a given point on a stream or riverβbank within
a given period of time.
Embankments
Raised banks constructed along the river; they effectively make the river deeper
so it can hold more water. They are expensive and do not look natural but they
do protect the land around them.
Estuary
The tidal mouth of a river where it meets the sea; wide banks of deposited mud
are exposed at low tide.
Flood
Occurs when river discharge exceeds river channel capacity and water spills out
of the channel onto the floodplain and other areas.
Flood plain
The relatively flat area forming the valley floor on either side of a river channel,
which is sometimes flooded.
Flood plain zoning
This attempts to organise the flood defences in such a way that land that is near
the river and often floods is not built on. This could be used for pastoral farming,
playing fields etc. The areas that rarely get flooded would therefore be used for
houses, transport and industry.
Flood relief channels
Building new artificial channels which are used when a river is close to maximum
discharge. They take the pressure off the main channels when floods are likely,
therefore reducing flood risk.
Flood warning
Providing reliable advance information about possible flooding. Flood warning
systems give people time to remove possessions and evacuate areas.
Flood risk
The predicted frequency of floods in an area.
Fluvial processes
Processes relating to erosion, transport and deposition by a river.
Gorge
A narrow, steep sided valley, often formed as a waterfall retreats upstream.