AS Geography

Rivers - Content
Factors affecting Discharge
Physical
Weather
Snow melt, frozen ground no infiltration
Precipitation heavy rainfall
Temperature evapotranspiration (reduce discharge)
Drainage Basin
size rounder quicker
shape Smaller responds more rapidly
Slope steep, water reaches more quickly
Vegetation more trees less infiltration
Porus soil type/permeable rock - slow
Impermeable rock faster
Human
Urbanisation permeable structures, artificial drainage, machinery
Land use dams, agriculture
Deforestation

Long profile & River processes
Erosion
Hydraulic Action water compresses air making
small explosion
Abrasion Wearing away of rocks by the river
Attrition Wearing away of rocks from the other
rocks
Corrosion Rocks are dissolved
Transportation
Traction Large boulders rolled along river bed
Saltation small stones bounce and leapfrog
Suspension Sand/Silt picked up and carried
brown colour
Solution Minerals transported within the
water
Deposition
Discharge reduced
Shallow water
Increased size of load (tributary)
River floods
Vertical
Cuts down to base level leaving steep sided
valleys by the processes of abrasion and
hydraulic action
Lateral
Energy used in widening the valley by
hydraulic action erosion
Capacity
Amount of material it can carry
Competence
Diameter of the largest particle that it can
carry for a given velocity

Factors affecting Load
(material transported)
Climate /seasonal variations
Land use - deforestation
Precipitation more water more velocity
Vegetation cover
Reservoirs
Geology some may be dissolved
Runoff
Soil properties
Topography relief height and shape of land
Size of basin

Valley profiles
Channel cross profiles
View from side
Changes throughout Up, narrow and uneven
Mid, meanders Low, widen and deepens
Upper large wetted perimeter more friction
Higher the hydraulic radius more efficient channel
Potential and kinetic energy
Determined by volume (discharge) and gradient
increase = increase kinetic
Processes depend on this
Excess = erosion, insufficient = deposition
Graded Profile
Inputs should balance outputs changes in system
= change in profile
Graded river all energy used so no further erosion
Profile of dynamic equilibrium balance between
erosion and deposition
Overtime river decrease in gradient smooth
concave shape, adjusted discharge and load


Cross Profile
View of a valley from one side
Lower course Very wide, Lack
of erosion, reduced competence
Middle course Wider, lateral
erosion
Upper course Narrow steep
sided, vertical erosion
Long profile
Knick points rejuvenation
Change in altitude
Steeper upper course gentle
at mouth
Irregularities rapids,
waterfalls

Rejuvenation & Knick points
Rejuvenation increase in energy
Cause
Isostatic Rise and fall of land
Eustastatic Change in sea level
Knick points
River gains cutting power vertical erosion
Adjustment to new base level
Knick point where old long profile meets new
Recedes upstream
Causes of flooding
Human
Urbanisation
Impermeable
Natural rivers
Smooth surface drainage
River strengthened delivered
quickly
Deforestation
Loss of root soil erosion
Reduce interception and
evapotranspiration
Decease in channel capacity
increase in sediment
Farming
Ploughing soil erosion
Planning strategies
Over grazing
Reduce lag time
Physical
Climatelogical
Increased temp snow melt
reduced infiltration
Coastal
Storms
Planning control
High season tides
Nature of Basin
Rock types
Shape basin vegetation, relief,
runoff