River Tees

where is the river tees located?

north-east england, cross fell in the cumbria moorlands

what is the length of the river tees?

137km

what is its altitude?

893m above sea level

what is the largest settlement on the river tees?

middlesbrough

what is the annual rainfall?

2000mm

describe the geology along the river source

peat soils and above sands and shales

describe the geology along the upper and middle course

limestone

describe the geology along the lower course

sandstone overlain by alluvium deposits

how does the river tees climate influence geomorphic processes in the upper course

wet, cold climate in upland areas of upper course means lots of freeze thaw weathering, this breaks up sharp bits of rock which end up in the river and are used for erosive processes like abrasion. higher rainfall in upper course causes mass movements as land is saturated and heavy

how does the river tees climate influence geomorphic processes in the mountainous regions

high rainfall in the mountainous regions means higher river discharges. this increases the carrying capacity of rivers, which results in more downstream erosion and flooding in lower course. these floods deposit material on the floodplains of the lower course.

how does the geology of the river tees influence geomorphic processes

more resistant rocks in upper course therefore steeper sided valleys. limestone is porous so more infiltration and less surface runoff. limestone reacts with rainwater = chemical weathering. different rock hardness at high force means differential rates of erosion

describe landforms and geology in the river tees - high force waterfall

21m, harder whin sill caprock, softer underlying limestone

What has whin sill intrusion done to help the river tees

prevented a smooth concave long profile - there is now a knickpoint and profile in convex at this point

name features in the upper course

v-shaped valleys, interlocking spurs, high force waterfall and gorge

name features in the middle course

meanders, oxbow lakes and meander scars

name features in the lower course

meanders, oxbow lakes and meander scars, floodplains and levees, estuary

name 4 features of the river tees

high force waterfall, cow green reservoir, oxbow lakes/meanders, tees barrage

human activity on the river - reservoirs - summary

there are 9 reservoirs in the whole river. the largest is cow green, at 41 million m^3

human activity on the river - reservoirs - impacts on geomorphic processes

reservoirs trap sediment behind the dam walls and limit the transport of the load of material down the river. this can starve downstream river locations of sediment.
water released from the reservoir also has more energy to erode as it is not carrying sediment. therefore we find increased erosion just below the dam.
by managing the outflow of water from the reservoir, this limits the amount of flooding downstream, reducing the deposition of fertile alluvium on to the floodplains. a more regular flow of water reduces erosion (in times of natural high flow) and deposition (in times of natural low flow).

human activity on the river - reservoirs - positive impacts on landscapes and surroundings (4)

control of flooding for downstream communities (good for people and critical urban infrastructure)
recreation opportunities on/around the reservoirs (boating, fishing, camping)
new habitats for aquatic species
water storage can aid climate resilience, assisting during droughts

human activity on the river - reservoirs - negative impacts on landscapes and surroundings (4)

control of flowing for downstream agriculture - starved of fertile deposits
fish populations may lose easy migration routes upstream
sedimentation behind the dam reduces fertility of downstream agricultural areas and also reduces the efficiency of reservoirs over time
drowning forestry can be bad for climate emissions

human activity on the river - the tees barrage - summary

opened in 1995, cost £50 million, 70m wide

human activity on the river - the tees barrage - impacts on geomorphic processes

when there are high tides and/or low pressure weather systems, sea water can come up the river and by closing the barrage, upstream settlements can be saved. this stops flood events upstream along the river, reducing transport and then deposition of sediment on the floodplains

human activity on the river - the tees barrage - positive impacts on landscapes and surroundings (3)

recreation opportunities on/around the reservoirs (white water rafting course set up alongside the barrier)
fish ladders have been installed to reduce the impact on migrating fish and fluvial ecosystems
positive economic impact on surrounding area with white water rafting centre created.

human activity on the river - the tees barrage - negative impacts on landscapes and surroundings (3)

aesthetically unappealing
barrier needs constant management to ensure there are no man-made disasters (e.g. barrier being shut in heavy rainfall would cause flooding around the barrier as water accumulated)
reduction of flood events means fertile river alluvium does not help fertilise agricultural land

human activity on the river - afforestation - summary

environmental practice, often in upland environments.
coniferous forests are planted in the upper course.

human activity on the river - afforestation - impact on geomorphic processes

vegetation binds soils and prevents erosion occurring. Afforestation therefore is good at protecting the landscape from erosion. this will also see a decrease in mass movement events. vegetation is also helpful as plants store water, meaning that less water flows in to rivers. drainage basins with more forestry see less intense flooding as plants uptake water to use for photosynthesis. by having more trees, there is the potential for an increase in biological weathering as the roots from trees penetrate in to the rocks and split them apart.

human activity on the river - afforestation - positive impact on landscapes and surroundings (4)

reducing flood risk
habitat creation
carbon sequestration
good for human quality of life as new outdoor spaces are created (e.g. for dog walking or hiking)

human activity on the river - afforestation - negative impact on landscapes and surroundings (3)

managing the basin can be time, resource and money intensive
Trees are often planted in monocultures and it takes a long time for ecosystems to revert to being genuinely mixed woodlands
woodlands can be fire risks in the summer
other land uses, such as farming, can be displaced

human activity on the river - urbanisation and floodplain zoning - summary

650,000 people live in the river tees catchment area.
floodplain zoning - identify areas on their flood risk and adapting activities in these areas

human activity on the river - urbanisation and floodplain zoning - impact on geomorphic processes

urbanised drainage basins mean an increase in impermeable surfaces. if water cannot infiltrate in to the soil then it flows more quickly in to river channels via surface runoff. this causes 'flashier' floods with more discharge in shorter periods of time. this increases erosion rates and erosion can cause mass movement events (e.g. on the outside bend of meanders)

human activity on the river - urbanisation and floodplain zoning - positive impacts on landscapes and surroundings (2)

limited direct positive impacts of urbanisation
floodplain zoning keeps critical urban infrastructure away from commonly flooded areas reducing the impact of floods on society.

human activity on the river - urbanisation and floodplain zoning - negative impacts on landscapes and surroundings (3)

urbanisation disrupts natural processes and increases flood risk
an increase in urban areas means a decrease in rural (natural) spaces which has impacts on species habitats, diversity, food chains and carbon sequestration
urban areas tend to be darker so they absorb more heat and add to the urban heat island effect