AS Module 1 Core Concepts in Physical Geography

10.1 Water on the Land

1. Drainage Basin Systems

• The concept of systems with reference to the hydrological cycle.
• The hydrological and atmospheric processes related to the inputs, outputs, flows, transfers and stores within this system.
• The factors influencing river discharge.
• The study of flood hydrographs to illustrate discharge variations.
• water balance homework ...1) sheet 2)excel spreadsheet example

• The study of flood hydrographs to illustrate discharge variations on rivers of different scales.

Factors affecting the shape of a flood hydrograph

1. VEGETATION / SOILS (INFILTRATION CAPACITY)
2. LEVEL OF URBANISATION
3. LAND USE
4. GRADIENT / RELIEF
5. DRAINAGE DENSITY
6. ANTECEDENT CONDITIONS
7. SHAPE
8. GEOLOGY / LITHOLOGY
9. CHANNEL CHARACTERISTICS
10.PRECIPITATION INTENSITY / DURATION
11.CLIMATE
12.TIME OF YEAR

Homework on River Drainage Basins 1) worksheet 2) excel spreadsheet 3) website

2. Channel Processes and Landforms

• Processes of erosion, transport and deposition.
• Long profile and channel cross sections.
• Types, sources and spatial variations in river load, and the consequences of these on channel landforms.
• Erosional landforms: potholes, waterfalls/rapids, erosional and depositional landforms, braided channel, meanders and ox-bow lakes.
• Depositional landforms: lévees, flood plains and deltas.
• A consideration of how important, extreme events are in the development of landforms

3. Flooding and its Management

• The physical causes of flooding.
• A study of the ways in which human activities may have increased the risk of flooding: changes in land use, new settlement and climatic change.
• The impact of flooding as a hazard and responses, including management with specific reference to a UK case study and contrasting LEDW case study.
• Evaluation of responses and resulting issues.

web links

GENERAL WEBSITES

A good start on hydrology is this US ineractive site called VIRTUAL RIVER - simple, animated and effective. GREAT for revision.

http://www.geography-site.co.uk/pages/revision/river.html - Basic terminology you will need to know

Mississippi River

The following pages will help you find out information about the following-

• Location and description of the river basin

• Causes of flooding  (especially in 1993)

• Flood prevention

• Management strategies

http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/noframe/ms137.htm

http://lists.uakron.edu/geology/natscigeo/lectures/streams/miss_flood.htm

The storms of October 2000 (A/S level) http://www.meto.gov.uk/education/historic/oct2000storm.html

1. Click on “The passage of a depression”.

Study the data referring to the passage of a frontal system and the associated changes in weather conditions.

2. Click on “The storms of 28-30 October”.

Read the information very carefully, remembering to focus on changing weather conditions and dramatic events.

3. Click on “exercises”.

Complete the tasks. Remember, examiners like to ask questions “With reference to a case study…….”

HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE WEB SITES
http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/earth/hydrocycle/hydro2.html
Excellent graphics
http://danpatch.ecn.purdue.edu/~epados/ground/src/cycle.htm#cycle
good definitions and summary image of the hydrological cycle
http://www.und.nodak.edu/instruct/eng/fkarner/pages/cycle.htm
another American diagram and definitions
http://www.unesco.org/science/waterday2000/Cycle.htm
UNESCO site. Good diagrams of total water budget, sea water and fresh water
http://abe.www.ecn.purdue.edu/~agen521/epadir/grndwtr/hydro_cycle.html
another good site of diagrams and definitions
http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/modules/hydrosphere/hydrosphere_title_page.html
covers the hydrological cycle and the hydrosphere
http://www.nwlg.org/pages/resources/geog/hydro_cycle/hydro/cycle.htm
this page is a must - it contains an animated 'flash' image which shows you the cycle, then leaves you to drag and drop the correct terms onto their definitions
http://www.angliacampus.com/public/pri/geog/rivers/act1.htm
another 'test' for you to try, using drag and drop.
http://www.dur.ac.uk/~des0www4/cal/dams/hydr/hcycle.htm
a little more advanced, but the diagram is worth studying
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/schools/sciences/geography/staff/harrist/ipg%20files/sect4/ipghydro.htm
take yourself through an online lecture on the hydrological cycle

RIVER PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS WEB SITES

http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/subjects/geography/rivers/River%20Articles/rivart.htm

Basic I know, but it does give a starting point for your terminology definitions

http://jersey.uoregon.edu/~mstrick/RogueComCollege/RCC_Lectures/Streams.html

American site called 'Stream Dynamics' quite a good summary of the basics

http://www.swgfl.org.uk/riversa/hypoth.htm

Good local SW geography site, following the river Exe from source to mouth. A good starting point but you will need more detail then they give here.

http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/DAAC_DOCS/geomorphology/GEO_4/GEO_CHAPTER_4_TABLE.HTML

Good satellite photographs of fluvial landforms from around the world

FLOODING AS A HAZARD WEB SITES

New flood risk threatens UK news item

February - the cruellest month? 2002 flooding events around the world

Water water everywhere

Drought? what drought?

Flood warnings - environment agency

Worcester Flood prevention

Indian Coca Cola Scandal

Flood defences Bewdley

Boscastle case study: Dozens rescued from flash floods

Village flood defence work

Boscastle insurance issues

RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT

Aswan Dam

River Jordan (Middle East) River management and conflict - River running dry