Rivers & Coasts Flashcards by Jasmine Sappor

River Landforms

V-Shape valleys
Waterfalls & Gorges
Meanders & Ox-bow lakes
Floodplains & Delta

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Coast & River processes

Erosion
Transport
Deposition

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Formation of a V-Shaped valley

Steep gradient in Upper slope
Faster velocity of water
Vertical erosion is caused as a result
The sides also get weathered

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Formation of a Waterfall

Hard + soft rock
River reaches soft rock and erodes vertically
Forming Waterfalls & Rapids
Turbulent water at base erodes = plunge pool
Until lip of harder roc is unsupported and falls

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Formation of Gorges

Waterfall retreating

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Formation of Meanders

Erosion inside + deposition outside

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Formation of Ox-bow lakes

Continuous erosion of neck of meander
River takes easier usually straighter course
Deposition blocks off old meander

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Floodplains

Flat valley floors on the banks of rivers which are layered with silt & alluvium left by the river flooding

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Deltas

Sediment built up in layers

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Types of transportation of eroded sediment in rivers

Traction- rolled
Saltation- bounced
Suspension- floated
In solution- dissolved

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River case studies

Boscastle flood (2004) - MEDC
Bangladesh - LEDC

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Causes of Boscatle flood

Saturated Soil
Torrential rainfall (500 mm in 4 hrs)
Small flood plain
Impermeable hillsides
Steep sided valleys running down Boscastle
Located at a confluence of Valency + Jordan

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Effects of Boscastle flood

25 businesses destroyed
50 buildings damaged
4 footbridges destroyed
Tourist industry destroyed 
Pavements &amp; Gardens damaged 
Stress + anxiety of locals
Insurance companies paid out £20 m.

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Responses of Boscastle flood

Rescue helicopters 
Widened &amp; deepened river 
Defence walls 
Removed trees
Raised land around the river
Improved drainage

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Causes of flooding in Bangladesh

Flood plain 
Confluence of Ganges, Brahmaputra + Meghna
Monsoon season
Melting snow + ice from Himalayas
Deforestation

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Effects of flooding in Bangladesh

766 dead
36 m. affected
Dhaka flooded with sewage
Overtopped many flood protection embankments

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Responses to flooding in Bangladesh 1

Preparedness programme (Oxfam)
Cluster villages raised 2m above water level
Individual houses raised 2m
Food shelters where livestock can be brought along
Rescue boats
Radios to issue flood warnings

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Responses to flooding in Bangladesh 2

Dhaka Integrated Flood Protection Project 
Embankments
Slope protection
Drains 
Sluice gates

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Coastal landforms

Headlands
Bays
Wave cut platform
Caves 
Arches
Stacks
Stumps
Beaches 
Spits
Bars 
Lagoons
Cliff

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Types of Erosion

Hydraulic action - Water forced into cracks. Compressed air forces rock apart
Abrasion - sediment thrown at cliffs weathering them away
Solution - rock material dissolved by weakly acidic sea water
Attrition - Loose sediments knocked around into smaller and rounder particles

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Formation of a WCP

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Sea erodes base of cliff and undercuts it 
Becomes unstable
Top of cliff collapses
result in a WCN
Continuous erosion of it leads to a WCP

Formation of cave, arch and stack

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Water gets into cracks + through Hydraulic action enlarges
Repeated erosion forms a cave
More erosion forms an arch
The roof of the arch finally collapses

Formation of Bay + Headland

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Coastline made from H & S rock eg. Granite and Chalk
Sea constantly erodes coastline
The S is eroded faster, forming a Bay + leaving the H to jut out as a headland

What is Swash

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The force of waves bringing sediment up a beach

What is Backwash

Movement of water down a beach by the action of gravity. Moves sediment back towards the sea

What are Constructive waves

Strong swash | Weak backwash therefore allowing beach material to build up

What are Destructive Waves

Weak swash | Strong backwash therefore more material is eroded or taken away

What is LSD

The movement of sediment along the coast by the action of waves

Formation of a Tombolo, Bar + Lagoon

A tombolo is formed when the spit continues to grow until it reaches an island (like a bridge) A bar is formed when a spit grows out to join up two headlands The water inside is a lagoon

Formation of a Marsh

A Marsh is formed when sand shingle and mud get trapped behind the spit or bar and new land starts to form. eventually grass + plants grow on this stabilising it

Why is Blakeney point spit - Norfolk special

Rare habitats/plant species | Important breeding area for seals and many sea bird species

How has Blakeney point spit - Norfolk been protected/managed

Made into a nature reserve | Classified as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) + Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI)

Causes of Happisburgh

Soft rock Large fetch Low lying land

Effects of Happisburgh

Over 26 houses destroyed Houses being devalued Agricultural land lost Businesses and Jobs lost

Responses to Happisburgh

Added reefs, a sea wall, groynes and revetments in 1950 | Now managing retreat

Definition of Corrosion

The act of particles & water smoothing sediment as if like sandpaper

Definition of Hydrological Cycle

The cycle of water around our planet in solid, liquid and gas form

Definition of Evaporation

Water turning into vapour

Definition of Transpiration

The loss of water through leaves of plants and trees

Definition of Precipitation

The deposition of water from the atmosphere in a liquid (rain) or solid (snow or hail) form

Definition of Surface Runoff

All water flowing on the earths surface

Definition of Evapotranspiration

The sum of evaporation from the earths surface together with the transpiration from plants

Definition of Infiltration

Seeping of water into soil

Definition of Through-flow

Movement of water through the soil

Definition of groundwater flow

Movement of water underground through rocks

Definition of Interception

Collection of water by vegetation

Definition of Water table

The upper level of underground water

Features of a river

``` Source Confluence Tributary Mouth Estuary Watershed ```

Definition of Lag time

Delay between peak precipitation and peak river discharge

River Clyde info

160 km Source is in the southern uplands region of Scotland Flows NW The mouth is an estuary on the west coast of Scotland

Features and landforms river Clyde flows through

3km wide estuary Glasgow is built on its floodplain (5m above sea level) Ox-bow lake near uddingston Falls of Clyde and a gorge Meanders between motherwell and Glasgow Interlocking spurs at Crawford (300 and 500m high) 2 tributaries come together to form it

Rivers & Coasts Flashcards

(51 cards)