Rivers

Upland regions

Found in the north and west (e.g., Scottish Highlands, Snowdonia, Lake District).

Lowland areas

Found in the south and east (e.g., The Fens, South Downs).

Major rivers in the UK

River Thames, River Severn (longest), River Trent, River Tees.

Long profile of a river

The gradient of a river from its source to its mouth.

Upper course of a river

Steep, fast-flowing, narrow, erosive.

Middle course of a river

Gentler slope, wider, meanders.

Lower course of a river

Flat, wide, slow-flowing, deposition.

Cross profile of a river

The shape of the river and its valley at a specific point.

V-shaped valley

Found in the upper course, characterized by steep sides and a narrow channel.

U-shaped valley

Found in the middle course, characterized by a wider floodplain and meandering.

Flat valley

Found in the lower course, characterized by a wide floodplain and levees.

Erosion processes

Hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, solution, vertical erosion, lateral erosion.

Hydraulic action

Water forces air into cracks, breaking rock.

Abrasion

Sediment scrapes the riverbed and banks.

Attrition

Rocks collide, breaking into smaller, rounder pieces.

Solution (erosion)

Dissolving of soluble materials (e.g., limestone).

Traction

Large boulders rolled along the bed.

Saltation

Small pebbles bounced along the bed.

Suspension

Fine particles carried in the water.

Deposition

Occurs where the river loses energy (e.g., inside bends, floodplains).

Interlocking spurs

Hard rock forces the river to wind around it in the upper course.

Waterfalls

Form where hard rock overlays soft rock, creating a plunge pool.

Levees

Natural embankments formed during flooding as sediment builds up on the banks.

Floodplains

Wide, flat areas of land either side of the river, created by deposition during floods.

Estuaries

Tidal areas where the river meets the sea, with mudflats and salt marshes.

River Tees

Example of a river valley in the UK with features in its upper, middle, and lower courses.

Flood risk factors

Physical factors: Precipitation, geology, relief; Human factors: Urbanisation, deforestation, agriculture.

Hydrographs

Show the relationship between precipitation and discharge.

Yarm flood management scheme

£2.1m flood defence scheme (gabions, levees, flood gates) to reduce flood risk.