geography 🪨 🌊 🇮🇳 🇬🇧 > rivers > Flashcards

rivers Flashcards

(54 cards)

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1
Q

interception definition

A

when trees stop rain from hitting the ground - slows it down

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2
Q

evapotranspiration definition

A

when water is lost upwards into the atmosphere (it gets evaporated)

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3
Q

surface flow definition

A

when water flows along a surface

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4
Q

through flow definition

A

water moving horizontally through soil (due to gravity)

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5
Q

what is the water cycle

A

the transfer of water from stores (oceans, lakes etc. ) into the atmosphere.
the input of water from atmosphere to the land by precipitation (rain, snow etc. )
transfer of water back to the original stores by surface flow and through flow

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6
Q

what is a drainage basin/catchment area

A

area of land around a river, drained by that river + its tributaries. when it rains, much of the water usually finds its way into rivers eventually, either by surface or through flow.

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7
Q

what is a river mouth and source

A

mouth - point where river leaves its drainage basin + flows into the sea

source - starting point of a stream/river, often a spring or lake

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8
Q

tributary and confluence definition

A

stream or small river that joints a larger stream or river

a point where two streams or rivers meet

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9
Q

watershed definition

A

the boundary of a drainage basin, separating one basin from another,
usually its highland

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10
Q

mass movement processes - soil creep and flows

A

where individual particles of soil move slowly down a slope

where masses of soil or rock usually flow like liquid downhill

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11
Q

how does weathering make erosion and transportation easier in rivers

A

breaks down rocks.
in upland areas, freeze thaw weathering shatters rocks on valley sides, so fragments fall into river channels and get shaped and move by erosions and transportational processes

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12
Q

velocity and discharge definition

A

speed of river measured in metres per second

the volume of water flowing through a river measured im cubic metres per second (cumecs)

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13
Q

infiltration meaning

A

process in which water enters the ground by seeping through pores in soil or any other surface

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14
Q

definition of a river long profile

A

how a river changes its shape and characteristics as we move from the source to the mouth

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15
Q

features and characteristics of a river in upper course

A
  • v shaped valleys
  • interlocking spurs
  • waterfalls
  • gorges
    ——————
  • steep valley
  • narrow/shallow channel
  • high bedload (sediment)
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16
Q

features and characteristics of middle course

A
  • meanders
  • river cliffs
  • slip off slopes
  • open/gentle sloping valley with floodplain
  • wider/deeper channel
  • more suspended sediment
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17
Q
A
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18
Q

features and characteristics of lower course

A
  • oxbow lakes
  • floodplains
  • levees
  • gently sloping valley
  • flat and wide floodplain
  • wide, open valley
  • very wide and very deep channel
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19
Q

how are interlocking spurs formed

A

in the upper course of a river, it is is small and don’t have much power. this means that instead of eroding valley side slopes, they just flow around them. the spurs are then left looking like they interlock

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20
Q

how are v shaped valleys formed

A

in upper course, water flows quickly though narrow channel, with steep gradient, as it does so it cuts downwards. this vertical erosion results in the valley shaped

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21
Q

what does vertical mean
what does lateral mean

A

up, down

side to side

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22
Q

meander definition

Study These Flashcards
A

a bend formed in a river, as it winds across the landscape

  • mostly a feature of erosion
  • little bit of deposition
23
Q

what is a river cliff

Study These Flashcards
A

small cliff formed on the outside of a meander bend due to erosion in this high energy zome

24
Q

what is a slip off slope

Study These Flashcards
A

small slope formed on the inside of a meander bend, formed by erosion, with deposition on top of it

25
what is a point bar
small beach found on the inside of a meander bend where deposition has occurred in a low energy zone
26
how is a meander formed
due to erosion and deposition. the force of the water erodes and undercuts the river bank on the outside of the bend, where water flow has the most energy, due to decreased friction. (this is called a river cliff) in the inside bend, where river flow is slower, material is deposited as there is more friction. (this is called a point bar) this makes the cross section asymmetrical in shape
27
how are oxbow lakes formed
1. narrow neck of meander is gradually being eroded 2. water now takes the quickest route 3. deposition takes place, sealing off the old meander 4. meander neck is cut through completely 5. oxbow lake is left behind
28
what is a floodplain
wide area of flat land found on either side of a river, made of alluvium being deposited
29
what is a levee
a raised river bank formed by deposition after many flood events. can be man made.
30
how are floodplains and levees formed
when a river bursts its bank, and energy drops because of reduced water velocity, energy drops due to increased friction. so, large material is deposited first, on the banks right next to the channel. this creates natural levees. the finer material travels further and is deposited as alluvium. layers of this builds up on the floodplain
31
why do humans often live on floodplains, and why is this a bad idea
very easy to grow crops on + build homes on but risk of flooding is higher, which could be dangerous and expensive
32
causes of flooding
prolonged rainfall - saturates ground, + it can’t take any more water, so surface runoff into rivers occurs heavy rainfall - means there is less chance of soil being infiltrated, so water runs into river relief - steep valley is more likely to flood than flatter, bc water runs off sides quicker geology - if rock is impermeable, surface runoff increases vegetation - trees and plants absorb water, reducing flood risk, but deforestation increases flood risk, bc water isn’t intercepted urban land use - concrete and tarmac increases impermeable surfaces, that run water into rivers. drains and rivers go straight into rivers, increasing flood risk
33
what are the hard engineering techniques
embankments flood relief channel dams and reservoirs channelisation
34
what are the soft engineering techniques
washlands river restoration floodplain zoning
35
purpose of embankments, channelisation, flood relief channels and dams and reservoirs
- high banks built on riverbanks - deepening or straightening river - building extra channels next to rivers for excess water to go into - barriers constructed to hold back water in artificial lakes
36
advs and disadvs of embankments
could stop water from spreading into areas that would cause problems can be grass to blend in flood water can go over the top and get trapped behind. could burst under pressure, causing greater damage
37
advs and disadvs of channelisation
allows more water to run through channel quicker water taken downstream may put others at risk looks unnatural
38
advs and disadvs of flood relief channels
can accommodate high flows so river won’t overflow can be unsightly and expensive
39
advs and disadvs of dams and reservoirs
long lasting used to produce hydroelectric power and provide local water supply expensive to build can cause displacement of people and ruin environment
40
purpose of soft engineering techniques washlands river restoration floodplain zoning
- they are areas on floodplains that are designed to be flooded - restoring rivers original course by removing embankments - gov. allocate areas of land to different uses, according to level of flood risk
41
advs and disadvs of washlands
give floodwater a safe place to go also improves a rivers natural sedimentation process could limit use of land
42
advs and disadvs of river restoration
allows natural course to flow floodbanks are often still needed changes in land use may bring some negatives
43
advs and disadvs of floodplain donating zoning
prevents building homes + businesses in high risk areas so less risk of life occurs can’t build on floodplains, which gov. want to do
44
what does a flood or storm hydrograph show
shows how a river responds to a rain or storm event. it illustrates the relationship between rainfall (as a histogram) and river discharge (as line graph)
45
features of flashy rain
short lag time steep rising and falling limb higher flood risk high peak discharge urban areas have this more more impermeable surfaces
46
features of subdued rain
long lag time gradually rising and falling limb lower flood risk low peak discharge rural/woodland permeable
47
causes of increased flood risk in the uk
climate change : - changing behaviour of the jet steam has brought more intense storms across UK - pattern of precipitation is different. uk now experiences less rainfall in the summer and more heavy bursts of intense rainfall in winter human activity: - urbanisation creates more impermeable surfaces - clearing land, to grow crops
48
who is responsible for managing floods and flood risk, and how do they do this
the Environment Agency catchment flood management plans plan to keep river flowing, and how to use land and plant woodland flood warnings: flood alert, flood warning, and severe flood warning are the different alerts individuals: get family and pets upstairs, turn off power etc. have a box of necessary things upstairs at easy access incase of flood etc.
49
base flow definition
normal discharge of water
50
groundwater flow definition
movement of water beneath Earth’s surface
51
what is the river dee used for and where is it
north wales flows from the slopes of Dduallt in snowdonia, to the irish sea between wales and wirral peninsula forestry farming tourism recreation water source
52
what is cuckmere haven and where is it
east sussex cuckmere river has many meanders, and they are called cuckmere haven
53
why does a changing population impact the river dee what solutions were put in place to combat this
it doesn’t naturally provide enough water in summer for the increasing population so reservoirs were built to store water in winter, these help control the rivers flow and reduce discharge also underwent channelisation
54
what physical factors change the river dee
intensity/amount of rainfall periods of drought climate change
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