Study Guide – Rivers
Key questions that will be answered…..
What is a Drainage Basin (catchment)?
What is Hydrology?
What is the Hydrological System and how does it fit into the Hydrological Cycle?
What is Water Balance and how does the quantity of water stay in equilibrium within each catchment?
What is a Storm Hydrograph and what does it show?
What is the annual Regime of a river?
What is the difference between Flood Frequencies and Flood Recurrence?
What is the Long Profile of a River and how it is linked with the ‘stages of maturity’ of a river?
What is the Bradshaw Model and how do the parameters in the model change downstream?
Hydrological Processes
What is the difference between Turbulent, Laminar and Helicoidal Flow?
Where do you find the different types of flow in a river?
What are the three major types of River Processes?
What is abrasion and hydraulic action?
What are solution, suspension and saltation?
How does sediment get deposited along the river channel and delta and what features does it create?
What is a flood?
What are the ‘physical geography’ causes of flooding?
How do factors such as geology, soil type and vegetation affect flooding within a drainage basin?
What are the ‘anthropogenic’ (human) causes of flooding?
Suggested case studies include, the River Rhône, the
The Impacts of Flooding
What are the short term and long term effects of flooding?
What are the social, economic and demographic effects of flooding?
What is the difference between tangible and intangible effects of flooding?
Perceptions of flooding by different groups in the drainage basin.
Strategies and effectiveness of flood management schemes.
Some key terms you should be familiar with…..
Tributary Streams Interception Percolation Baseflow Recharge
Regimes Deficit Lag Time Rising Limb Discharge
Flood Duration Middle Course Flood Magnitude Competence Capacity
Upper Course Lower Course Hydraulic Radius Wetted Perimeter Braiding
Inter-basin Transfer Abstraction Irrigation Impoundments Flooding
Resources
Books – Waugh
Geofactsheets – No. 83, No. 127, No. 71, No. 42
Websites – Environment Agency. Met Office
Others -