St. Peter’s High School
Geography Department

Mr A Barnard |  Mrs A Dadge  |  Mr J Mitchell  |  Mrs S Miklausic  |  Mrs G Stott | Mr A Williams


Year 10 AND 11 GCSE PAGES

Rivers - Revision Notes

The earth’s crust is modified by fluvial processes which result in distinctive landforms.
Long and cross profiles, processes of erosion (hydraulic power, corrosion, corrasion, attrition), transport (traction, saltation, suspension, solution) and deposition.
How a river profile changes downstream and the relative importance of the processes at work such as the typical V shaped valley in the upper course where vertical corrasion dominates.

The characteristics and formation of waterfalls, gorges, meanders, ox-bow lakes, levees, flood plains and deltas.
Students will be expected to be able to name an example, describe each feature and to explain its formation making reference to the processes at work.

Recognise and describe fluvial features on Ordnance Survey maps and photographs.
There is an opportunity in this section to revise OS skills as well as to introduce photographic interpretation etc.

The interaction between people and fluvial environments.
River basin management issues – the causes and effects of flooding in river basins in the context of both LEDCs and MEDCs.
River basin management issues should be studied in the context of both LEDCs eg. Bangladesh and MEDCs eg. the European floods of the 1990’s or the Gloucester floods. One case study from the MEDW and LEDW should be chosen to study the physical and human causes of flooding and the impact of the floods.
TV news is a good source of up to date information.

The short, medium and long term strategies used to attempt to manage the floods.
Contemporary issues concerning use of ‘hard’ v ‘soft’ strategies and attempts to achieve sustainability.
The social, economic, environmental and political issues that have an impact upon strategies and the values and attitudes of interested groups.
Flood management should include efforts to prevent flooding and strategies used to ameliorate the impact. Students should be aware of how and why the methods used are different between the LEDW and MEDW and now currently there is a move away from hard engineering e.g. dams on the Colorado to softer approaches e.g. flood plain zoning, improved warning system.

 

 

visit these web links to help you revise for the rivers section

1. Learn on the Internet

main page = www.bbc.co.uk

2. BBC - basic revision

3. S-Cool pages - quite good

4. UK Flooding Case study

5. US Geological Society - Big US floods - where they happen and why

6. Environment Agency Flood pages

7. Lynmouth flood disaster

8. Bangladesh floods 1 (BBC)

9. Bangladesh Flood 1998

9. Bangladesh Flood Warning Centre