Geography- river landscapes and processes

Water cycle: Water is stored in clouds, oceans, seas, rivers, mountain hills, valleys, underground, ice caps, and glaciers 97% from ocean and seas

Condensation- is the change in matter of a substance to a denser phase, such

as a gas to liquid. Condensation of vapour to liquid is opposite of evaporation Evapotranspiration- is the sum of evaporation and plant transpiration. Evaporation accounts for the movement of water to the air. Transpiration accounts for movement within a plant. Its an important part of water cycle Precipitation- is any form of water that falls from the sky as part of the weather to the ground, like snow rain sleet hail etc. Infiltration- is process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil. Infiltration is controlled by two forces, gravity and capillary action. The rate of infiltration is affected by the soils characteristics Evaporation- Evaporation is the process by which molecules in a liquid state (e.g. water) spontaneously become gaseous (e.g. water vapour). Surface run off- Overland flow of excess water (with or without accumulated contaminants) that cannot be absorbed by the ground as infiltration. Percolation- filtering of water down through soil and into the rock Through flow- movement down slope of water through the soil Groundwater flow- movement of water through rocks

Rivers:
A river is a large body of water of natural origin flowing in a channel and discharging into another body of water, like another river or lake or ocean. Rivers flow downhill under influence on gravity Removing water from surface run off or from through flow or groundwater flow. Rivers transport loose rocks which fall in their path Movement of water and debris in river cause erosion as the river channel cuts into the land, and creates landforms. Some of material rivers carries will be deposited when river slows down like in a flood.

Drainage basins:

Rivers originate at the source and flow downhill until the meet the sea at the mouth Along the way smaller rivers may join at a confluence- these smaller river are called tributaries In special circumstances rivers may split into several smaller channels called distributaries The area drained by a river and its tributaries is called a drainage basin, usually marked by a ridge of higher land called a watershed.

Erosion Erosion- (geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it) Abrasion/corrosion- Abrasion is mechanical scraping of a rock surface by friction between rocks and moving particles during their transport in wind, glacier, waves, gravity or running water, after friction, the moving particles dislodge loose and weak debris from the side of the rock, these particles can be dissolved in the water source. The intensity of abrasion depends on the hardness, concentration, velocity and mass of moving particles Hydraulic action- is the sheer power of running water wearing away the bed of a river or sea floor. Solution- rocks such as chalk and limestone can be dissolved by acid water and so removed in solution

 Bed load- Sediment or other material that slides, rolls, or bounces along a stream or channel bed of flowing water. Smaller sand sized particles are bounce along by salutation Suspended load- fine silt and clay particles suspended In water and transported downstream Dissolved load- rocks which are soluble, like limestones are transported in solution.

V Shape valleys and interlocking spurs:

The valley sides are worn back by slumping and surface run off, which occurs during rainfall. Interlocking spurs are formed when a winding river cuts down into the land There are bits of rock that the ricks cannot erode so has to go around created interlocking spurs

Upper middle and lower course:

Upper course: Interlocking spurs are formed when a winding river cuts down into the land and their are large rocks that river has to flow around Channel is lined with large angular rocks The velocity of the river is slow because of water resistance from the large rocks in the bed River is clear due to it only being rocks- suspended load and not much suspended load Middle course: 4 ways in which river transports its load are: Current Traction Suspended load Bed load Factors are the velocity and amount of landslides and rock type Lower course: In the lower course the suspended load and dissolved load take up most energy But its fast flowing in lower course as it enters the mouth

Waterfall

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

The waterfall flows over more resistant cap rock A deep plunge pool is formed at the base of waterfall Splash back erodes the softer rocks behind the waterfall Eventually overhang collapses Waterfall retreats upstream A gorge of recession is formed

Meanders:

a bend or curve, as in a stream or river vertical erosion is important in upper course but not middle course Because river has gentler gradient. With a gentler gradient river develops wide meanders swing from side to side of valley Water flows fastest on the outside of meander bend If channel is right up against edge of valley side to collapse forming a small river cliff We call this lateral erosion Opposite an undercut bank is a lower bank made of shingle sand. These deposits form a feature known as point bar Though hundreds of years meanders slowly migrate down valley, happens because valley slopes downstream

Floodplains:
Definition- the flat area of land next to the river that periodically floods. It is widened by erosion and deposition builds up the flood plain with alluvial deposits This is the flat valley floor either side of the river that gets flooded from time to time As the river floods its deposits layers of silt or aluminium which gradually build up the height of the flood plain.

Oxbow lakes:

 Levee formation: A levee is the part of the bank or river that is raised higher than the flood plain. When a river floods over its banks, velocity of flow is reduced, so deposits sediment The coarser sediment is dropped off first Forming a small bunk alongside the river channel Finer material can be carried further away from the bank as its lighter Continuous flooding builds up the size of the levee Artificial levees can be built to increase the height of the banks and reduce chance of flooding. Over 3000 km of levees have been built alongside Mississippi river

Delta formation: A river carrying large amounts of land As river approaches the mouth, its current is reduced causing deposition of sediment

 Deposition cause main channel to split into smaller channelsdistributaries Distributaries can spread sediment over a wide areas Sediment can only build up if the currents of the sea are weak and unable to wash it away. E.g. Mediterranean se and Nile river

A flood hydrograph:

Case study- Mississippi floods:

Over 2000 miles long and it drains around half the area of the use In 1993 the area affected was greater than the size of great Britain 28 people died, 36000 people made homeless Roads were underwater and electricity lines collapsed 6 million acres of farmland flooded ruining crops Silt and sand deposited needed to be cleaned Total repair bill- 10 billion dollars Heavy rainfall fell over a 50 day period Snowmelt in spring added to volume of water Ground was saturated so there was greater surface run off

Modifications made: The channel was deepened and dykes were put in to trap sediment Meanders were removed and channel was straightened 150 miles shorter. Water is channelled quicker 2 the sea. Concrete the river beds and banks, stops river meandering and banks collapsing 200 reservoirs built behind dams to control discharge Artificial levees and flood walls constructed These are known as hard engineering measures

Case study Bangladesh floods: Occurred in 1993 Agriculture: Entire rice stock destroyed 130000 cattle killed 650000 crops damaged 66% of land was underwater Human: 30 million people made homeless 1000 people died Snakebites and unclean water spread diseases like diarrhoea Over 1000 schools destroyed Flood water contaminated fresh water supplies City and transport: Over 11000 km of roads damaged Many rail and road bridges swept away Dhaka capital city almost had electrical and water supplies cut off Causes of flooding: Natural: Monsoon rains Heavy rainfall, snow melting an glaciers in Himalayas 80% of Bangladesh is a flood plain Human: People live on flood plains Deforestation in Nepal and Himalayas increases run off and adds to deposition and flooding down river Human mismanagement Poor levees lead to collapse What they did: Shelters and warning systems: Built 5000 flood shelters Improved flood forecasting

Prepared flood disaster management Dams: Built dams to control river flow and hold back monsoon rainwater They use this water for irrigation and electricity but would cost more than 500 million pounds Flood control: Divide the land into compartments and control water through a system of channels by gates and water pumps Embankments: Strengthen river and channels up to 7 metres But would cost around 6 billion dollars