an area of low-lying ground adjacent to a river, formed mainly of river sediments and subject to flooding

the process by which an increasing percentage of a population lives in cities and suburbs

the clearing or thinning of forests by humans

the total amount of sediment transported by a river

Interaction of human and physical factors in river landscapes

Geography

Changes in river landscapes along the course of a river

River processes of erosion, transportation and deposition

River landforms caused by erosion and deposition

The storm hydrograph

Factors affecting flood risk

Costs and benefits of managing flood risk

Example of a river flood: River Eden, Cumbria (2015)

Using GIS to analyse river catchments and profiles

This unit teaches pupils about river processes and landforms. Pupils will learn about the physical processes operating in rivers and about the formation of distinctive landforms of river erosion and deposition. Pupils will also learn about the importance and options of river management.

River landscapes

A low-lying area next to a river that floods regularly

An increasing proportion of people living in towns and cities

Human actions like deforestation and urbanisation alter rivers

Rivers only change when earthquakes happen

Why is it wrong to think rivers only change due to natural processes?

A spring, glacier, or collection of small streams

What type of landform is created mainly by river erosion?

What process involves the river carrying sediment and dropping it as the water slows down?

Which of the following is a landform created by both erosion and deposition?

Which feature is most typical in the upper course of a river?

The movement of water through the land, sea and air

The process of sediment settling at the bottom of rivers

The cycle of plant growth along riverbanks

Starter Quiz

What is the main source of a river?