the continuous movement of water between the ocean, land, rivers and atmosphere

the way water moves between the different stores within a cycle

where water is stored within the hydrological cycle

the layer of gases that surround the Earth

The hydrological cycle

Geography

Drainage basins

River processes

The upper course of a river

The middle and lower course of a river

Fieldwork: Planning a river enquiry and collecting data

Fieldwork: Presenting river data

Fieldwork: Analysing, concluding and evaluating river data

The causes of flooding

The effects of flooding

GIS: Analysing flood risk

River management

Planning river management

This unit teaches pupils about how river processes shape the land and affect our lives. Pupils will use fieldwork to investigate downstream changes in rivers and use GIS to analyse flood risk across geographical space. Pupils will also evaluate different methods of flood management.

Rivers: How do rivers shape the land?

the area of land drained by a river and its tributaries

a smaller river that joins the main river

the process by which Earth’s surface, e.g. rock or soil, is worn away and transported from its ordinal state and original location

when sand, mud and rocks are dropped by the river

the part of a river’s course closest to its source

a narrow steep-sided valley with a river at the bottom

ridge-like features found along the sides of river valleys

a point in the river where there is a vertical drop in the water

a very narrow valley, with steep sided rocky walls

a flat area of land either side of a river which experiences flood in periods of high river flow

the tidal mouth of a river, where the river meets the sea or ocean

a theory that describes how the physical characteristics of a typical river change from source to mouth

geological material that is eroded, transported and deposited by a river such as stones boulders and sand

the speed at which water passes along a channel

a graph that shows the shape of a river channel as if it were sliced from bank to bank

a straight line drawn over the top of the data in a scattergraph to show any correlation

the relationship between opposing geographical variables

finding the value of data in a set by examining the data that falls either side of it in sequence

finding the value of data in a set by extending the correlation beyond the known data

areas of the fieldwork investigation where geographers consider the impact their study may have on people and the environment

continuous rainfall that lasts for longer than expected

the physical shape of the land in an area, including its height and steepness

the physical structure of an area and what rocks and minerals exist there

the complete removal of trees from an area

the increase in the proportion of people living in towns and cities rather than the countryside

effects during and immediately after an event

the government body in England responsible for protecting and improving the environment; it manages issues like flooding, pollution and climate change

a GIS (geographic information system) is a computer system that captures, analyses and displays geographic data to help understand spatial patterns

to break information down into parts, find patterns, relationships or trends, and explain why they are important

the building of fixed structures to help prevent river flooding

working with nature to reduce the risk of river flooding

the negative aspects of doing something and good reasons for doing it

making the effects of something less severe

the probability of a flood event occurring and its potential impact

any individual, group, or organisation that has an interest or concern in a particular geographical area, issue, or project

methods used to manage flood risk by reducing the speed and volume of water entering rivers in the upper catchment

a decision-making tool that compares the cost of flood defenses with the economic value of what’s being protected

Rivers: How do rivers shape the land?

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