River Eden case study

Where is the River Eden?

• North west England between the Lake District and Pennines

Landforms

• V-shaped valleys - 600 metres above sea level

• Hell Force Waterfall - hard rock (limestone), soft rock (sandstone)

• Meanders near Salkeld

• Oxbow lake near Briggle Beck

• Carlisle is built on the floodplain

Processes

• Regular freezing in the winter near the source, leading to freeze thaw weathering

• Intense rainfall can lead to landslides, so more material in the river

• High river volumes can increase geomorphic processes

• Limestone is vulnerable to chemical weathering

• West of River Eden there is impermeable rock, making flooding more likely

• Sandstone is prevalent in in middle+lower courses, increasing erosion

Human activity

• 10km of flood walls + embankments along river

• Castle Carrow Beck (south west of Carlisle)has been dammed to create a reservoir

• Near Dalston (south of Carlisle) 1,000 trees have been planted

• Restoration of the river from its previously straightened state (e.g artificial meanders created south west of Appleby - slows river flow)