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GCSE Geography > Rivers > Flashcards

Rivers Flashcards

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1
Q

How are interlocking spurs formed?

A

The river takes the easiest route so erodes the soft rock and winds around hard rock

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2
Q

How are v-shaped valleys formed?

A
  1. River erodes vertically due to hydraulic action
  2. Freeze-thaw breaks down the sides of the river
  3. This sediment allows for further erosion by abrasion
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3
Q

What are the characteristics of the upper course?

A

-no settlements surrounding it
-steep valley
-waterfalls
-narrow river
-rapids = noisy

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4
Q

What are the characteristics of the middle course?

A

-meandering
-sloping land
-flood plains
-farmland

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5
Q

What are the characteristics of the lower course?

A

-deposition
-cities and big settlements
-estuary
-flat, marshy land

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6
Q

What is velocity?

A

Speed of the water

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7
Q

What is discharge?

A

The amount of water in the river

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8
Q

What is Aluvium ?

A

Sediment in a river

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9
Q

What is a drainage basin?

A

An area of land drained by a river and tributaries. Moves water from land out to sea.

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10
Q

What is the source?

A

Start of river - always in highlandd

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11
Q

What are tributaries?

A

Small rivers

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12
Q

What is confluence?

A

Where rivers join

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13
Q

What is the ocean mouth?

A

Where the ocean meets the sea

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14
Q

What is the watershed?

A

The boundary of the drainage basin

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15
Q

What are the conditions in which a levee occurs?

A

In a river when there is an increased volume of water flowing downstream and flooding occurs

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16
Q

How is a levee formed?

A

-sediment is transported in the river
-when the river floods, sediment is spread out across the floodplain
-the largest material is deposited first at the banks of the river and the smaller sediment is deposited further away

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17
Q

How are most estuaries formed?

A

When sea levels rose after the last ice age and filledglacial troughs

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18
Q

How do estuaries form?

A

-the river is tidal
-due to the volume and velocity of the water, the river is able to carry large amounts of sediment
-as salt water and freshwater mix, velocity slows down meaning any sediment being carried is dropped
-this creates mudflats that are exposed when the tide goes out
-these are crucial to wildlife

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19
Q

what kind of erosion dominates the lower and middle course?

A

lateral

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20
Q

descibe the waterfall found on the river tees

A

-called the High Force
-20m
-formed by the erosion of limestone which lies under dolerite

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21
Q

what landforms of deposition can be found on the river tees?

A

-levees
-floodplains

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22
Q

where does the River Tees flow?

A

from the pennine hills to the north sea

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23
Q

describe how a waterfall is formed?

A
  1. less resisitant rock erodes and formed a notch
  2. overtime, the hard rock jutting out collapses
  3. plunge pool is created
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24
Q

what processes happen on what side of a meander?

A

-the current is faster on the outside bend = erosion
-current weaker on the inside = deposition

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25
how are oxbow lakes formed?
-as erosion makes the bends closer, they create a swan neck meander -during a flood water will breach the neck -the river takes the straighter course -over time, deposition will cut off the meander from the river
26
what forms on the outisde of river bends due to high levels of erosion?
river cliffs
27
how are flood plains created?
-meanders widen floodplains by migrating accross them -during floods the water looses speed and deposists sediment = hightens the floodplain
28
what causes leeves to form?
repetitive flooding
29
what factors effect the risk of flooding?
-runoff is higher in places with inpermeable rocks -level of precipitation -steep/flat relief -urbanisation/deforestation
30
What is the lag time?
Time taken between peak rainfall and peak discharge
31
What is the rising and falling limb?
When discharge is rising and falling
32
What is river discharge measured in?
Cubic metres per second
33
What are flood relief channels?
-secondary channels built alongside rivers to divert water away from particular areas -the amount of water flowing through a given point is reduced -discharge will however increase at the junction between the two channels
34
What are embankments?
-walls built either side of the channel to increase the height of the banks -increase river capacity -expensive -if banks are burst then floods can still happen
35
What are dams and reservoirs?
-a dam is a large wall built across a river in the upper course -behind the dam a reservoir forms -reservoirs fill up with water when there's high rainfall so reduce flooding -this water can be drunk -expensive and habitats/towns can be destroyed
36
What is channel straightening?
-bends and meanders are removed by constructing straight channels -keep water flowing through the area quicker = less flooding -but downstream areas are more at risk of flooding and erosion
37
What are some hard engineering strategies for managing flooding?
-channel straightening -dams and reservoirs -embankments -flood relief channels
38
How does planting trees reduce flooding?
-more rain is intercepted by leaves and absorbed by roots so increases lag time -river discharge, flood risk and soil erosion are all reduced -new habitats -however less space for housing
39
How do flood warnings help reduce flood risk?
-put out when there has been a lot of rainfall -by the environmental agency/governments -people can put out sand bags and protect their homes -not all people will receive them -don't prevent floods
40
What is river restoration?
-returns a river to its natural state -allows the river to swell its banks and flood naturally -doesn't stop flooding
41
What is flood plain zoning?
-creates zones of a floodplain where building can/can't happen -only works for new developments
42
What are soft engineering strategies for flood reduction?
-floodplain zoning -river restoration -planting trees -flood warnings
43
What is a social impact of flooding and go into detail
Injury and loss of life - loss of loved ones could impact people severely meaning they may be unable to work
44
What are two economic impacts of flooding?
Damage to property and lack of insurance cover
45
What are two environmental impacts of flooding?
Pollution (flood waters washing chemicals into water) and recharging ground water
46
how high is the source of the river tees above sea level?
893m
47
how much rainfall does the upper course of the river tees recieve each year?
200mm
48
generally describe the upper course of the river tees?
-moorlands -saturated ground cant hold all the water so streams are formed -V shaped valley -high force waterfall
49
when in the river tees does the land flatten out and start to be used for farming livestock?
300m above sea level
50
is rainfall higher or lower in the middle course of the river tees?
lower
51
generally describe the middle course of the river tees?
-valley flattens -river is most erosive due to more discharge -farmland -bedload smaller and rounder -levees
52
how big are the floodplains either side of the levees on the river tees?
10km each side
53
on the river tees, a meander encases the town of...
Yarm
54
what meanders were cut off in the river tees to make it straighter for trading?
the stockton meanders
55
generally describe the lower course of the river tees?
-industrial area -artificial channel -deep estuary for ships
56
how long is the entire river tees?
120km
57
what is mud from the estuary of the river tees reclaimed and used for?
oil terminal/steel works
58
where does the mouth of the river tees lead to?
the north sea
59
When was the Boscastle flood?
16th August 2004
60
Where Boscastle?
Cornwall
61
List the causes of the Boscastle flood
-low bridge -steep relief -intense rainfall -lack of flood defences -removal of vegetation
62
How did the low bridge cause the Boscastle flood?
-the bridge over the river valency in Boscastle was very low -when the flood came, debris got stuck under the bridge -created a dam = worse flooding
63
How much rainfall fell in Boscastle in 24 hours?
200mm
64
List the consequences of the Boscastle flood?
-flood damage -decreased tourism -illness and injury -environmental pollution
65
How many properties were flooded in the Boscastle flood?
58
66
How many cars were swept away in the Boscastle flood?
150
67
How much did the Boscastle flood cost the village in damage and lost income (tourism)?
£50 million
68
What was the death toll of the Bosacastle flood?
0
69
How many people were airlifted to safety in the Boscastle flood?
100
70
List the responses to the Boscastle flood?
-temporary accommodation -emergency rescues -new, higher bridge -rebuilding -deeper and wider river channel
71
How much was the river valency widened and deepened by?
Deepened - 2 metres Widened - 3 metres
72
How much was spent on the flood defence scheme after the Boscastle flood?
£10 million
73
What are the pros of flood protection in Boscastle?
-road, bridge and car park improvements have reduced congestion -lower stretches of river have been improved to provide spawning grounds for salmon -tree management providing habitats
74
What are the cons of flood protection in Boscastle?
-£4.5 mil of tax payer money was spent on management by the environmental agency -straightening and widening of river has restricted natural habitat development -it will always be vaunerable to flooding as it's in a steep valley, impermeable shale rock, confluence of three rivers
75
What three rivers have their confluence in Boscastle?
Valency, Jordan,Paridise
76
Why is Boscastle at risk of flooding? 5
-steep valley -impermeable shale rock -river channel is narrow -deforestation above the river -settlements built upstream

GCSE Geography (17 decks)

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