Knickpoints type and location along the Paiva River for extreme sports activities

1 2 3
Sousa, J.P. ; Gomes, A. ; Martins, A.
1
Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts University of Porto, Portugal; e-mail: up201204034@letras.up.pt
2
Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts University of Porto, Portugal; e-mail: atgomes@letras.up.pt
3
Department of Geociences, University of vora, Portugal; e-mail: aam@evora.pt

Introduction Results
Knickpoints are related with sector s of the r iver s
longitudinal profile where a drastic change on the river
slope occurs (Goudie, 2004). Due to sea-level change,
different bedrock resistance, earthquakes or the junction
of rivers, multiple knickpoints can exist on a river bed
and they always migrate upstream away from the origi-
nal slope change, giving birth to areas named by
Knickzones.
Knickpoints (fig. 1) are usually associated with r ap-
ids and in extreme cases with waterfalls. Rapids and wa-
terfalls along rivers are points of tourist interest for radi-
cal/extreme sports such as Canyoning, Rafting,
Kayaking, Cliff Jumping, Hidrospeed and Canoe-Raft.

Figure 3: Hypsometry, hydrographic network and knickpoints in the Paivas watershed.

Four main knickzones were delineated and fifteen knickpoints were found analysing the r iver 's longitudinal
profile (figs. 3 and 4). Of four, only three knickzones gathered good conditions for radical sports activities, which
are dependent, for instance, of the streamflow and the valley walls slope (fig. 5A and B).
Information about radical sport activities played at the Paiva River shows that only the sector III is widely used by
A B
the companies, mainly during the months with high precipitation (fig. 4).

Figure 1 - A Knickpoint (A) and a Kcnickzone (B) on the Paiva River.

Source: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/73141108?;source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com ;
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/85616696?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com

The main objective of this work is to identify the slope

breaks, i.e., knickpoints (Kps) and knickzones (Kcz),
along the Paiva River (fig 1), evaluating those sectors
that are already used for radical sports and those which
have good conditions to practice some of these sports
but still free of this activities.

Materials & Methods

The hydrographic network of Paiva River, relief and Figure 4: Location of the knickpoints and knickzones along the longitudinal profile of the Paiva River.

its watershed were retrieved from the SRTM model,

which enabled the extraction of the longitudinal profile
in order to obtain slope longitudinal breaks and classify
the knickpoints. Furthermore, the retrieved Kps were
placed on the geological maps, in order to understand
the lithological implications of their location.

A B A B C

Figure 5: Panoramic views of some knickpoints and knickzones along the longitudinal profile of the
Paiva River.
Source: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/33892202?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com ; http://www.panoramio.com/ Figure 6 shows that Kps and Kcz are
photo/73141192?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com; http://www.panoramio.com/photo/28564831?
commonly found at the lithological
transitions, i.e., on the passage from
C D schists (metamorphics) to granites.
Figure 2: Methodology followed for the acquisition of the Kps through the longi-
tudinal profile and further interprettion.
A) Elements of a Knickpoint;
B) Extr act of the Paivas watershed lithology map;
Conclusions
C) Extr act of the Paivas watershed topographic data;
D) Panor amic view of micro-rafting activity along the Paiva River Along Paiva River, through a quick
Source: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/85603444?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com
survey, there are more than a handful
of companies offering a wide range of
adventure sports that would benefit
Final remarks with a complete analysis of the river's
Our deep thanks to all photographers who share their longitudinal profile in order to define
photos on the Google Earth and make possible this new possible locations for these activi-
liquid research. ties, namely the sectors I and II, near
Figure 6: Relationship between the knickpoints and knickzones with the lithological bedrock.
Goudie, A.S. (2004) Encyclopaedia of Geomorphology, vol. Castro Daire and Ribeira de Frguas.
1. Routledge, London and New York,1156 p.