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geography-zoe brown > Unit 1 C River Landscapes In The Uk > Flashcards

Unit 1 C River Landscapes In The Uk Flashcards

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1
Q

What does the long profile of a river show

A

How the gradient changes of the different courses

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2
Q

What does the cross profile show

A

What a cross-section of the river looks like

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3
Q

Describe the upper course of a rivers gradient,valley and channel shape

A
  • steep gradient
  • V-shaped valley,steep sides
  • narrow,shallow channel
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4
Q

Describe the middle course of a rivers gradient,valley and channel shape

A
  • medium gradient
  • gently sloping valley sides
  • wider,deeper channel
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5
Q

Describe the lower course of a rivers gradient,valley and channel shape

A
  • gentle gradient
  • very wide,almost flat valley
  • very wide,deep channel
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6
Q

Vertical erosion

A
  • deepens river valley and channel making it v-shaped
  • dominant on the upper course of river
  • high turbulence causes rough,angular particles to be scraped along the river bed,causing intense downwards erosion
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7
Q

Lateral erosion

A
  • widens river valley and channel during formation of meanders
  • dominant in middle and lower courses
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8
Q

What is hydraulic action

A

The sheer force of the water breaks rock particles away from the river channel

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9
Q

What is abrasion

A

When eroded rocks picked up by the river scrape and rub against the channel,wearing it away

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10
Q

What is attrition

A

When eroded rocks picked up by the river smash into each other and break into smaller fragments.their edges get rounded off as they rub together.

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11
Q

What is Solution

A

When river water dissolves some types of rock

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12
Q

How do waterfalls form

A
  1. form when river flows over area of hard rock followed by area of softer rock
  2. softer rock is eroded more than hard rock creating a ‘step’ in the river
  3. as water goes over step it erodes more or the softer rock
  4. steep drop is eventually created which is called a water full
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13
Q

how are gorges formed

A
  1. hard rock is eventually undercut by erosion from waterfall and becomes unsupported and collapses
  2. collapsed rock are swirled around at food of waterfall where they erode softer rock by abrasion which creates a plunge pool
  3. over time more undercutting causes more collapses. The waterfall retreats leaving behind a steep sided gorge
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14
Q

What are interlocking spurs

A
  1. rivers aren’t powerful enough to erode laterally in the upper course as they have to wind around the high hillsides that stick out into their paths on either side
  2. The hillsides that interlock with each other as the river winds around them are called interlocking spurs
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15
Q

Meanders

A
  • current faster on outside of bend because river channel is deeper (less friction to slow water down)
  • so more erosion takes place in outside of bend forming river cliffs
  • current is slower on inside of bend because river is shallower (more friction to slow water down)
  • so eroded material is deposited on inside of bend,forming slip-of slopes
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16
Q

Formation of ox-bow lakes

A
  1. erosion causes outside bends to get closer
  2. until there’s only small bit of land left between bends
  3. river breaks through this land,usually during flood
  4. and the river flows along along the shortest course
  5. deposition eventually cuts off meander forming and ox-bow lake
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17
Q

What are flood plains

A

The wide valley floor on either side of a river which occasionally gets flooded

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18
Q

What are levees and how are they formed

A

Natural embankments along the edges of a river channel.formed during a flood when eroded material is deposited over whole flood plain.heaviest material deposited closest to river channel because it gets dropped first when the river slows down.over time deposits material builds up creating levees

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19
Q

What are estuaries and where are they found

A

Tidal areas where river meets the sea found at the mouth of a river

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20
Q

Features of estuaries

A
  • land is closest to sea level
  • river valley at its widest
  • river levels rise and fall each day
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21
Q

What land forms are in the upper course

A 
V-shaped valleys 
Interlocking spurs 
Rapids 
Waterfalls
Gorges
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22
Q

What landforms are in the middle course

A

Meanders

Ox-bow lakes

23
Q

What landforms are in the lower course

A

Levees

Flood plains

24
Q

List main landforms of a named river

A

River Clyde in Scotland

  • gorges
  • ox-bow lake starting to form
  • waterfalls
  • meanders
  • flood plains and mud flats
25
Q

What is river discharge

A

Volume of water that flows in river per second

26
Q

What is peak discharge

A

The highest discharge in the period of time you’re looking at

27
Q

What is lag time

A

The delay between peak rainfall and peak discharge

28
Q

What is rising limb

A

The increase in river discharge as rainwater flows into river

29
Q

What is falling limb

A

The decrease in river discharge as the river returns to its normal level

30
Q

Define flooding

A

Happens when the level of a river gets so high that it spills over its banks.river level increases when discharge increases because high discharge means more water in a channel.

31
Q

causes of flooding

A
  1. prolonged rainfall-soil becomes saturated further rainfall can’t infiltrate so increases surface run-off
  2. heavy rainfall-water arrives to rapidly for infiltration,increases run-off
  3. geology-impermeable surface create run-off
  4. relief-water will reach river quicker if has steep sides
  5. land use-buildings made from impermeable materials and removing trees that intercept water
32
Q

What are dams and reservoirs

A

Dams are built across rivers usually in upper course. And reservoir (artificial lake) is formed behind dam

33
Q

What are the benefits and costs of dams and reservoirs

A

B- store water prevent flooding
B-reservoir water used as drinking water and generate hydroelectric power

C-dams very expensive
C-reservoir can flood existing settlements

34
Q

What is channel straitening

A

When the rivers course is straightened-meanders are cut out by building artificial straight channels

35
Q

What are the benefits and costs of channel straightening

A

B-water moves out area quickly doesn’t travel as far, reduces flooding

C-flooding may happen downstream instead as water carries there faster
C-more erosion downstream because flowing faster

36
Q

What are embankments

A

Raised walls that are built along the river banks

37
Q

What are the Benefits and costs of embankments

A

B-river can hold more water

C-expensive
C-risk of severe flooding of break or water rise above

38
Q

What are flood relief channels

A

Channels built that divert water around important areas or take elsewhere if water level is too high

39
Q

What are benefits and costs of flood relief channels

A

B-river discharge reduced
B-gates in flood relief channel can control release of water

C-increased discharged where relief channel rejoins river

40
Q

What are benefits and costs of flood warnings

A

B-impacts if flooding is reduced

C-don’t stop flood from happening
C-people may not hear or have access to warnings

41
Q

What are benefits and costs of preparation

A

B-impact of flooding reduced
B-people less likely to worry

C-doesn’t guarantee safety could give false sense of security
C-expensive

42
Q

What are benefits and costs of flood plain zoning

A

B-risk of flooding reduced
B-impact reduced

C-expansion of urban area becomes limited
C-no help in areas that have already been built on

43
Q

What are benefits and costs of planting trees

A

B-discharge and flood risk reduced
B-vegetation provides habitats

C-less land available for farming

44
Q

What is river restoration

A

Involves making river more natural removing man made features

45
Q

What are benefits and costs of river restoration

A

B-discharge reduced
B-little maintenance needed
B-better habitats for wildlife

C-local flood risk can increase

46
Q

Using a named example of a flood management scheme explain why the scheme was needed

A

Village of Boscastle on north coast of Cornwall devastated by flash flood 16th august 2004 caused millions of pounds of damage.village surrounded by steep valley sides and land upstream cleared of trees and vegetation.low bridge of narrow river channel

47
Q

Give two features of the Boscastle scheme and explain how they reduced flood risk

A
  1. old bridge replace with new,higher bridge so things don’t get stuck and create a dam
  2. Gauge introduced to monitor water levels and improve flood prediction so people can evacuate
48
Q

Give 1 social,1 economic and 1 environmental issue with the Boscastle flood management scheme

A

Social: residents lives were disrupted for years by rebuilding projects and construction of flood defences
Economic:scheme cost over £4 million and isn’t as good as it could be
Environmental: vegetation and river habitats in area are continuously managed.biodiversity and river habitats have been improved

49
Q

Traction

A

Large particles like boulders pushed along river bed by force of water

50
Q

Saltation

A

Pebble-sized particles bounced along river bed by force of water

51
Q

Suspension

A

Small particles like silt + clay carried along by water

52
Q

Solution

A

Soluble material dissolve in water and carried along

53
Q

Why rivers deposit sediment

A
  1. Volume of water in river falls
  2. Amount of eroded material in water increases
  3. Water is shallower
  4. River reaches its mouth

geography-zoe brown (10 decks)

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